Couponing With Integrity

Why I love my husband – the never ending list

DanaPots — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:41:39 +0000

I was recently reading a post on the Happy Wives Club, (yes, I am a proud card carrying member!) and thought this was a wonderful idea. In every marriage, there are periods that either spouse may feel unappreciated. There was something in this article that hit me:

It’s not because their spouse began doing anything different. It’s because they began looking for all the things he was already doing right

Recently, it seems the more I am on Facebook, the more I see people bash their spouse. Why? One blogger had a whole post about “Stupid Sam” dedicated to all the things her husband had done wrong that day. Another Facebook post detailed the stupidity of her husband for losing his job, before finding another, and how she and the kids did not deserve this, because she was supposed to start school. Maybe this was true, but why go on and on, while your husband helplessly comments that this has never happened before? Meanwhile, she thanks all her Facebook friends for being there for her. Huh?

Anyway, I digress. This post is dedicated to my wonderful husband, my partner, and my true love, for whom I will be eternally grateful for all he adds to our life. I intend to update this post regularly, to remind myself, and him, even if I don’t say it as often as I should, my appreciation is in every action, every little gesture, every chalkboard coffee cup message (Be sure to look on the bottom )

1. Thank you for helping me up from the rubble, you know what I mean.

2. He loved me, even when my real self was 15 pounds more than my profile, it was a mistake, I swear.

3. He loves me “part and parcel” and takes care of this parcel every day as if it is a precious gift.

4. His intelligence and views on life enriches mine, like no one else.

5. He puts up with all my idiosyncrasies and neurosis, even though they have no merit .

6. He still makes my heart flutter, even after all these years.

7. The best times are the simple times, laying in bed at night, talking. I love these times.

8. He has a soft spot for pets, and I love his loyalty to our cat. It shows the type of man he is.

9. He spends time with our kids, to make them better people, and takes time to explain why things are.

10. He is technical minded, no, honey this post is not key worded for optimum search traffic, sorry. He has a brilliant mind.

11. He took care of the kids so I could finish my education, and he still does. I can work without worrying about anything

12. He spends time with the kids and I. Quality time. Nothing better than our nightly Monopoly game, no matter who wins!

13. He is the most beautiful person I have ever seen, inside and out

This post has a beginning and no end. We should all look for the things our spouse already does right, instead of all this things we can pick apart for doing wrong. I love you, and appreciate you.

Winn Dixie – should I branch out?

DanaPots — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:45:24 +0000

Winn Dixie shopper? – I never thought I would consider it!

I dragged Steve into Winn Dixie last night, to use the 5 coupons I had for Speed Stick deodorant, making them free. I never shop at WInn Dixie, truth to be told, I don’t even know what their coupon policy is, when their sales run, or anything about them. That is the thing about me, when I find something good, I stick with it, just ask my husband!

To my dismay, the Speed Stick was cleared from the shelf, no different no matter where you shop, I guess? My eyes lit up, when I saw Barilla on sale, BOGO free, so I decided to shop a little.

I do have a WInn Dixie card, which is required to receive discounts at Winn Dixie. I have never used it though. I picked up 4 boxes Barilla pasta, and meandered over to frozen foods. I guess meandered is the wrong word, as we had 20 minutes before they closed, with my husband good naturedly rolling his eyes.

To my delight Birds Eye was on sale. We eat ALOT of vegetables and they were also BOGO, so I picked up 12 bags. On a whim, I picked up 2 bags of pretzels, that I had no coupons for.

When all was said and done, my original total was $44.74. After coupons, and swiping my Winn Dixie card it was $14.42. If there was more time, I would have mathematically calculated it better, so I could have used my $5/30 Winn Dixie coupon.

I went to customer service to inquire about the Speed Stick, and after several employees coming over, one taking me back to the shelf, and a manger looking at my coupons, it was decided that I would be allowed to come back with 2 of my 5 coupons and use them with the raincheck, since they don’t normally take expired coupons. I thought that was pretty nice.

So, all in all, it was a pretty good experience. No one made me feel funny for using coupons, the checkout experience was painless and I can go back and pick up 4 free deodorants! $14.42 is not bad for 12 bags of vegetables,4 boxes of pasta, and 2 bags of pretzels.

There is also one more very cool think my husband found there, that I will be sharing in a future post. It was not functioning when we saw it, and I don’t know much about it, so I will have to write more about that later.

What do you think? Should I branch out?

Thank you for confirming your email

DanaPots — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:19:53 +0000

Thank you for confirming your email. Now that you have signed up, we will be able to send you the hottest deals and must have coupons! But don’t worry, we hate spam as much as you do, and promise not to flood your inbox.

Thank you for signing up for our newsletter!

DanaPots — Sat, 18 May 2013 02:11:07 +0000

Thank you for signing up for our email newsletter. Please make sure you check your email for a confirmation that it is really you that signed up. If you do not see the confirmation email, please check your spam folder. Could you also please consider signing up for our Facebook application? When I find something …

Gummy Cuties – Kid’s Vitamins Giveaway.

DanaPots — Thu, 16 May 2013 03:35:49 +0000

Welcome to the Gummy Cuties Giveaway.

This giveaway is sponsored by Natural Dynamix

The giveaway is hosted by Giveaway Gator, Sweep Wow and Couponing with integrity

Natural Dynamix was so kind as to send me a sample of their kids vitamins and nutritional supplements. Our kids love the Gummy Cuties because they tasted so good. I even had a few.

I remember as a kid I hated taking Calcium because back them we got it in this dry pill that tasted like bone. Don’t even get me started with the fish oil my mother served up with a spoon. Thank goodness those days are gone.

Today’s kids are very lucky to have their vitamins and minerals given to them in an almost candy form. Gummy Cuties were a big hit at home. Our kids would be in the kitchen every morning looking to get their daily dose of vitamins. Usually had to go look for them to make sure they take their vitamins.

You can read out review here – Nutritional Supplements for Kids – Gummy Cuties

Now you can win two bottles of supplements for your kids.

Natural Dynamix is giving away one Bottle of Omega3 DHA/EPA and one bottle of Calcium with Vitamin D

Please read the following

This giveaway is open to US residents aged 18 and older.
The giveaway starts 05/16/2013 11:59 pm EST
Ends 05/28/2013 11:00 pm EST
Read the disclosure at the bottom of the page

Entry -Form

Disclosure: This giveaway is open to entrants 18 years of age or older, except where prohibited by law. US residents only. No purchase is necessary to enter. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received. To qualify to win, you must complete, at minimum, one entry on the Giveaway Tools form. The winner will be randomly chosen by Giveaway Tools. Winners will be notified by email from Giveaway Gator. Winners will have 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiting their prize. Prize may re-awarded solely by the Sponsor’s discretion. Prize fulfillment is the sole responsibility of the sponsor. This blog may not be held liable for Sponsors who do not fulfill prize shipments. Giveaway Gator received one product equal to the price but was not compensated monetarily for this post. Owners at Giveaway Gator reserve the right to publicly publish winners’ names. By entering this giveaway, you are agreeing to these terms and conditions.

Gidney & Company – South Florida Accounting Firm

DanaPots — Thu, 16 May 2013 03:02:05 +0000

Gidney & Company - specializing in accounting and tax preparation

April 15th has passed, but if you are looking for an accounting firm in South Florida, check out Gidney & Company.

Gidney & Company is located in Miami Beach, and offers tax preparation for individuals and corporations as well as bookkeeping services, payroll and financial statements for businesses, trusts and courts.

Gidney & Company offers financial planning. Did you know in order to properly prepare for retirement, at age 40 you should have twice your annual salary saved? Gidney & Company can make sure you are on track.

Gidney & Company can also oversee your bookkeeper on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis, supporting all major accounting applications. Bookkeepers (who oversee day to day transactions and financial records) and accountants can work closely together to make sure your financial records are properly maintained.

You can contact Gidney & Company at 305-866-6266 or visit their website.

Happy Mother’s Day!

DanaPots — Sun, 12 May 2013 22:07:48 +0000

Enjoying lunch with mom!

Happy Mother’s Day! I am fortunate to have a wonderful mom, and a mother in law who is far away, but in our thoughts every day. I thank her for doing a wonderful job raising the upstanding man I am proud to call my husband.

My mom has always been there for me, and I hope I have become a daughter she is proud of. I don’t think we ever lose the desire to make our parents proud, which is one of the reasons why I continued my education until I graduated college, even though it took 14 years! I love you, Mom.

I am also extremely lucky to have wonderful children, and I am so proud to be their mom. To my oldest daughter, who is now a mom herself, may you continue to be the kind of mom kids only dream of, I am so proud of you. To my 13 year old, you make me proud every day. You have such a way about you, you conduct yourself with such class and grace. To my son, you will be a fine man one day, your loving heart, sense of humor and intelligence are such that one only dreams to find. To my little E for Elaina, you have such a caring heart, and you are so funny. I love you all so much. Nothing in my life has made me feel as accomplished as raising you into the fine individuals you have become.

Last but not least, Happy Mother’s Day to Michelle, a wonderful woman, and someone I am proud to have help raise our kids. Step moms (and dads) don’t get enough credit, thank you for all you do.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother’s Day….

Whole Foods Coupon – Dream Non-Dairy product

DanaPots — Mon, 06 May 2013 04:27:13 +0000

Whole Foods coupon to stack with $2 MQ!

For those of you who still have the awesome Facebook coupon for $2/1 Dream Product I just found $1/1 Whole Foods coupon.

This should make for cheap or free non-dairy milk in Whole Foods, or for Publix shoppers whose stores take Whole Foods as a competitor.

These milks are available in many flavors, including coconut, almond, vanilla and even chocolate which was a winner with the kids!

Soymilk is a good alternative for people who are lactose intolerant. Soy, as opposed to cow milk is derived from a plant.

Our daughter had constant sniffles until my husband convinced me to try giving her non dairy milk. The way he explained it, dairy cows are subjected to a hormone treatment to produce more milk. Milk is mucus (gross) and traces of the hormones can be found in the milk, that when consumed can cause a child to be more sniffly

He was right. In a few days, she stopped sniffling and has no problem drinking soy milk. She loves it when we call her the “soy-milk kid”.

The are many health benefits to soy:

Soy can help reduce the risks of breast and prostrate cancer.
Soy can help reduce the risks of osteoporosis
Soy can help reduce menopausal symptoms (Really? I’m on it!!!)

The best part is, an 8 ounce glass of soymilk contains 30% of the calcium your body needs.

Not to mention, we live in Florida, where hurricanes are a constant worry. Open the pantry of every Floridian during hurricane season, and you will see batteries, water and shelf stable milk.

Smoothies are also better tasting and healthier in my husbands opinion when you make them with soy or rice milk instead of dairy milk. Try it and come back and let me know how you like it, or share a recipe in the comments below.

Couponers – Do we push the envelope?

DanaPots — Sat, 04 May 2013 15:16:27 +0000

We are all after a good deal – but do we push the envelope with liberal coupon policies?

I am a typical couponer. I use coupons with the word “any” on trial sizes, I ask the meat department to break packages, and I stack coupons with sales to maximize savings.

Recently, I wonder though, if we go too far. Do we push the envelope with stores to get the deal? Pushing the envelope refers to going beyond boundaries. Recently, Publix has tightened its’ coupon policy, and I wonder if we have brought it upon ourselves, with more to come?

Case in point: Last week there was a coupon in the Publix ad: $3 worth of fruit free on $3 OR MORE when you buy 2 Quaker instant oatmeal. There was a variation of this coupon on a cardboard display, which left out the verbiage $3 OR MORE. The coupon also showed a picture of boxed oatmeal, but did not specify size.

Then it began. Couponers everywhere ran wild to get the deal. 2 boxes of oatmeal and $3 worth of fruit became 2 containers of Medley’s (much cheaper at .99 each) and a banana, stacked with the store coupon and a MQ for the Medley’s, making for a sweet moneymaker. Some used a Target coupon on the Oatmeal in addition to the Publix coupon, claiming the coupon “attached to the fruit only”

I have several issues with this deal:

1. We knew it was meant to be $3 worth of fruit. How? The ad stated it, and the signs in front of the oatmeal and the fruit stated it : $3 OR MORE.

2. In regards to the Target coupon: Publix policy says you can not stack a Target (or any Competitor coupon with a Publix coupon, see official response from Publix here:

I spoke with our Customer Care Specialist and verified that the Publix Coupon Requirements to receive the $3 off Fruit is the purchase of Oatmeal. The Publix coupon attaches itself then to the fruit and to the oatmeal. You could stack a Manufacture Coupon on these items, but not another Publix or Competitor Coupon. We only accept One Manufacture and EITHER one Publix or one competitor coupon per purchase (deal). You are not allowed to stack Publix and Competitor Store coupons on items. You would not be able to use the Publix and Target coupons without additional oatmeal being purchased. I hope this helps clarify

3. The oatmeal Medley’s IMO at the time of this post are not considered instant. If you visit Quaker’s product list you will see the Medley’s listed separately than instant oatmeal. I wrote Quaker to clarify and will update you as an answer becomes available. – Updated to add response from Quaker: “Thanks for reaching out to us about our Quaker Real Medley’s products. The oats are cut up small to reduce cooking time, and are considered instant.”

I am not the Mother Theresa of coupons by any means, nor am I passing judgement on any couponer who partook in this deal. I am just inviting a friendly,respectful conversation.

Some people seemed to see it as free fruit, whoo hoo! Does this kind of thinking hurt all of us, and the liberal coupon policies we enjoy? Does it jeopardize the trust and respect from our stores we seek as couponers?

This is why I chose not to do this deal, because my store’s view of me as a customer, and a couponer was more important the pushing the envelope for some free fruit.

I invite respectful differences of opinion in the comments below.

Do you need reading glasses? – Optx Review

DanaPots — Sat, 04 May 2013 00:53:17 +0000

Do you need reading glasses? Check out Optx 20/20

“What does this number say?” It comes without warning. Soon, you can’t read the fine print, ingredients or expiration date on coupons. The time has come. You need a pair of reading glasses.

When we were given the opportunity to review a pair, we were happy to do so because we knew the time had come to accept the fact that we are not as young as we once were, and our eyesight isn’t as sharp as it once was.

Optx20/20.com founded in 1989 with a mission to provide quality eyeglasses at an affordable price. All products include a limited lifetime warranty and a 30 day guarantee.

Optx20/20.com offers many styles and colors of reading glasses, and to keep up on the latest trends, the company visits Europe annually. For the eco-friendly consumer there is the option for a frame made with plant material, which comes with an earth friendly case.

For the economical minded, there are 3 pair value packs. These are perfect when your husband doesn’t want to share his reading glasses with you! For the active lifestyle, you can purchase reading glasses with a strap.

We received our glasses, and they were exactly what we needed. Not to mention that my husband does do a pair of glasses justice. They were light, trendy and did the trick when he needs an extra “pair of eyes”.

If you need reading glasses, I recommend Optx20/20. The glasses we received have been durable, trendy and best of all, functional.

Disclosure: We received one pair of reading glasses for review purposed. Couponing With Integrity was not financially compensated to write this review, and would only recommend products or services we feel would be of value to our readers. Our opinions are our own and may differ from those of yours.