Venom Coupon

PRINT COUPON for $1.00 off a bottle of Venom Energy Drink

Craigslist works wonders

We're on our way to a new bathroom with the room gutted down to the studs and the fixtures removed. We now decided we might as well replace the old bath tub with a new one since it would be the only old thing in the room. Plus this is the only opportunity EVER to do it. More shopping tonight to get a new tub and then tomorrow replace it in the bathroom.

One of the unpleasant tasks of remodeling is getting rid of the old construction debris from the teardown. First we thought about the FREE way to deal with it was to bring it to the dump, but that involves more handling and time and getting a friend who lives in unincorporated county to come along for the proof of the tax payment. Even though it would be cheap, it would be a hassle. We told our neighbor about all our junk and he offered his truck to have us load the truck and dump it at his works dumpster, but that too would be a hassle. We already have a lot of errands, clean out tasks, tear down and other jobs associated with the project. So, we took a picture of the junk and put it out there on Craigslist for our town and placed a WANTED ad to haul away our construction debris for fifty bucks. Man o man, I feel like I was too generous. I had 7 calls within an hour, and finally pulled the ad. I also put an ad out there for a FREE Bathtub, and got 3 calls within a couple minutes. I pulled that ad too shortly thereafter.

 

So after work today, a guy is coming to pick up the trash for fifty bucks and another guy is coming in the morning to get the tub. Problem solved.

Remodel

Last week we finally met with the contractor that a friend referred to do our bathroom remodel project. We live in a very old house built in 1955, and the bathroom needs some updating. Everything is functional, but aged, and its not that big of a room just five by seven We wanted to gut it and put in new tile in the tub, on the floor and get new fixtures and cabinets. One quote we got to do this on both bathrooms was $6500 each for a total of $13000. I was like, how much? For two weeks of work, you want $13K? NOT.

 

We decided we wanted to minimize the costs by doing the tear down and disposal of scrap ourselves. We also wanted someone who would be willing to work with us and let us do the simple stuff like hook up the sinks, nail the cabinets to the wall, paint, etc. It was important to us that the contractor agree to work by the hour too. So we met with the guy and he looked at our bathroom and we discussed us doing tear down, and him do the buildup. So it looks like it will cost us less than $1000 in labor for one bathroom.

 

So on the weekend, he lent us his rotary hammer to tear out the old wall tiles and concrete. What a job! Its dusty and a work out for the arms and shoulders. We're both achy this morning and sore and tired. We still have more to do.

 

So that is the priority in our frugal life these days, meaning cut backs to extracurricular work like concerts. Bare minimum of couponing, and focus on eating out of the stockpile.

Get Paid To Do What You Want

I think I've mentioned before that we have a busy October month ahead of us, and it just became a little busier since we signed up to work at Raymond James Stadium for the U2 concert coming up October 9th. One of the reasons we have a busy month ahead is because there are a lot of entertainment venues and events that we like to attend, and we are GETTING PAID to go. How, you many ask?

 

Years ago, we were given the opportunity to volunteer as ushers at the Outback Bowl in Tampa, and it meant we got to see the game for free. We thought it was a fun experience talking to Wisconsin Badger fans and enjoying the afternoon outside on a beautiful New Years Day in Tampa. We also talked to other staff there and found out that many were employed by Sentry Event Services and made about $8/hr to watch the football game. We also learned that Sentry did event staff and security for the concerts at the Ford Amphitheatre and Tropicana Field for baseball games. This was a great opportunity for us both to attend entertainment events, and get paid. Usually a show is about 5 or 6 hours of standing around, so about $48 each of us, so we bring home close to $100 for every event we work. We were hired in 2004 and have worked about 30-40 events each year since.

 

But, Sentry Events doesn't staff events at the St Pete Times Forum which hosts indoor concerts, hockey games, basketball games, the circus and skating shows like Disney on Ice. So we marched down there and applied so we also get paid to attend events we want there too. The pay isn't as good, but it still brings in $75 to $90 per evening, and the work is a lot simpler, since we are just guest services, rather than security staff.

 

So between the Forum and Sentry, we are both working 6 events this month that we would like to attend, and will bring home close to $500 rather than spending it on the ticket prices. Its a good gig if you are healthy and can stand for up to 6 hours and you enjoy being around crowded events and people. We've been working shows and sports events for over 5 years now and the savings in ticket prices and entertainment dollars is significant. If there is a show we really, really want to have fun at with drinking and partying, then we spring for a ticket. We have often purchased tickets for high demand shows knowing we can double or triple our money on Stub Hub selling the tickets, then we just sign up to work. If the tickets don't sell (which hasn't happened yet...) then we just would plan to attend rather than work a show.

 

So, if you're looking for a way to attend those football games, concerts, baseball games, contact your local venue and ask who does the staffing for guest services and security, its usually contracted out so its not necessarily the venue that employees you.

It's Not That Hard, Is It?

This weekend I passed along some coupons to a friend who had mentioned needing some razors. In fact, they use Schick Quattro and I  happened to have multiples of a $4 off MQ and a matching $4 off Target coupon, making the $7.94 razor free. I cautioned how they have to take these coupons and get the deal at Target since it is a Target coupon, and they would need to tell the cashier to do a "manual adjustment" since  there was a 0.06 overage that Target registers kick out. 

 

Well today I followed up with that person to find out if they got the free razors. He said they still seemed kind of expensive. I said how, they were free. Well, turns out they didn't go to Target, they went to some drugstore. Target was too far away, like a couple miles. Anyway, of course the drugstore wouldn't take the Target coupon! Duh. I'm sure the price was higher too. Oh but they took the $4 coupon.

 

I couldn't believe it. I try to help people understand couponing and show them matchups, do the deals first myself, so I can tell them what to expect, and they still either don't listen, think it doesn't matter where you go, or they just aren't that bright. It's not that hard is it? Are we all genius's who can figure out how to match up and stack coupons with store sales? I don't think it's that complicated, but it does take some practice and to start out with simple one item deals to make sure everything works out as planned.  But I wish I knew an easy way to share the coupon love, because I don't have the time to go shopping with everyone to train them in. I generally refuse to cut coupons for others too, since the ways I get them are accessible to all others.  They can print their own, and get extra inserts, and of course scan store aisles for blinkies and peelies and booklets.

 

So this friend wants me to teach a coupon class to a bunch of ladies in her neighborhood. I would love to do it and plan to do it. But since I need to figure out a way to simplify the process. I just hate to feel responsible for people who don't catch on, and they end up spending money they intended to save. There are many deals that I would never do if it weren't for the cheap cost with using coupons. Oh well, back to the drawing board on this one.

Are you ready for Tax Day?

Well its almost the end of the 3rd quarter of the year and this is a great time to assess your tax burden for the year 2009. If you are typical wage earner and have your taxes taken out of your paycheck, you can easily determine if you're going to have enough to have your taxes paid and maybe get a refund this year. We typically like to have less than a $1000 tax refund so more money goes into our pockets during the year, but I absolutely hate to pay additional taxes on April 15th.

 

The IRS has a nifty calculator that lets you calculate your tax burden and it takes into consideration several legislative events that occurred this year.

 

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, introduced several changes that affect this Withholding Calculator:

(1) The new Making Work Pay Credit:   The new withholding tables that employers should have implemented by April 1 have been incorporated into the calculator.
You should use this calculator to ensure that the reduced withholding will not result in having too little income tax withheld (possibly causing you to owe taxes next year) if:

• You are an employee with two concurrent jobs,
• You and your spouse both work, or
• You can be claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return (since you are not eligible for this credit).

(2) Pension income: Non-government pension income is not eligible for the Making Work Pay Credit, and the calculator now accounts for this. If you expect to receive a significant amount of pension income in 2009, you should use this calculator so that you can adjust your withholding appropriately for the second half of the year.
(3) Unemployment Compensation:  The first $2,400 of unemployment compensation an individual receives in 2009 is now tax free. The Withholding Calculator now accounts for this, so enter the full amount into the calculator.

Purpose of This Computer Program The purpose of this application is to help employees to ensure that they do not have too much or too little income tax withheld from their pay. It is not a replacement for Form W-4, but most people will find it more accurate and easier to use than the worksheets that accompany Form W-4. You may use the results of this program to help you complete a new Form W-4, which you will submit to your employer.
Tips For Using This Program

• Have your most recent pay stubs handy.
• Have your most recent income tax return handy.
• Fill in all information that applies to your situation.
• Estimate values if necessary, remembering that the results can only be as accurate as the input you provide.
• Consult the information links embedded in the program whenever you have a question.
• Print out the final screen that summarizes your input and the results, then use it to complete a new Form W-4 (if necessary), and keep it for your records.

Who Can Benefit From This Application?

• Employees who would like to change their withholding to reduce their tax refund or their balance due;
• Employees whose situations are only approximated by the worksheets on the paper W-4 (e.g., anyone with concurrent jobs, or couples in which both are employed; those entitled to file as Head of Household; and those with several children eligible for the Child Tax Credit);
• Employees with non-wage income in excess of their adjustments and deductions, who would prefer to have tax on that income withheld from their paychecks rather than make periodic separate payments through the estimated tax procedures.

For Special Situations If your situation is among those listed below, you will probably achieve more accurate withholding by following the instructions in Publication 919, How Do I Adjust My Tax Withholding?

• If you will be subject to alternative minimum tax, self-employment tax, or other taxes; or
• If any of your current jobs will end before the end of the year.

NOTE: The information you provide is anonymous and will be used only for purposes of this calculation. It will not be shared, stored or used in any other way, nor can it be used to identify the individual who enters it. It will be discarded when you exit this program.
2009 IRS Tax Withholding Calculator
 

I'm not on Target

Yesterday since I was going to be travelling by a Super Target, I thought I would stop to get a few coupons deals that have been blogged about lately, especially ones that stack manufacturer coupons with the target store coupons you can get using the Target coupon generator at Hot Coupon World. I was especially excited about getting my dog some dog food, and also getting some Schick Quattro razors.

 

Well I stroll into the dog food aisle and see all these big wide open empty spaces, right where my dog food should be. The shelves are cleared out. I suspect they've been cleared out a while since someone had left their coupons there in the blank space. Kind of like they've been checking back and the item is never there. I had 3 different brands and items I wanted and they were all gone. What a wasted trip. I went over to the razor aisle and got my razors but then I had the checkout drama. I knew there was a 0.06 overage from stacking the 2 coupons per razor, so I bought a filler item to take up the overage. However, Target cash machines don't work that way, they just kick out the 2nd coupon because it exceeds the value. You have to have the cashier manually adjust each coupon to match the remaining value of the item. What a pain. Apparently, they're getting some new software and this won't be a problem soon. But the first cashier didn't see the problem. I told her my whole bag of items should be free except for my filler, so I didn't want to finalize the transaction yet. We called over the manager, who voided the whole thing and we did it at a different register.

 

Meanwhile, a line of people is behind me moaning about the delay. It was a rather unpleasant experience using coupons. This type of transaction is why I don't normally care to shop the deals at CVS, Walgreens and Target. There are two many complicating factors to getting the deals you think you can get. Sure, if you roll over your rewards or ECB's regularly and know to get fillers to get more items in your purchase than coupons, they will work. But its a hassle, and I stop to think before I even head out to these stores, do I really need that item? Many times I don't, or I can get it at Publix. I love that Publix is so coupon friendly, so I'll be getting my dog food there on my next trip.

Dannon Activia Class Action Lawsuit Settled

Dannon has just settled a large class action lawsuit concerning Activia Yogurt.
They have announced that a settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit involving Dannon's Activia® and DanActive® yogurt products. The lawsuit alleges that Dannon falsely advertised the health benefits of its "probiotic" yogurt and dairy products. Activia® was sold nationwide beginning in February 2006. DanActive® was sold nationwide beginning in January 2007.

 

Under the proposed settlement, Dannon will create a $35 million fund to provide cash refunds to Class Members who timely submit a valid CLAIM FORM

 

Dannon has agreed to amend its labeling and claims of Activia and DanActive, making the scientific names of the so-called probiotics more visible; Dannon will also remove the word "immunity" from DanActive, said the LA Times. Currently, labeling for DanActive states it has "a positive effect on your digestive tract's immune system," reported the LA Times. That statement will be changed to state that DanActive will "interact with your digestive tract's immune system."

According to the LA Times, the refund will apply to consumers who purchased Activia and DanActive yogurts up to $100 per customer, citing court papers. Consumers will be required to complete a claim form, said the LA Times that will be accessible once the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio has approved the settlement.

Chinet coupons

HERE is link to get free chinet coupons

Publix Sneak Peek BOGO's 9/24-9/30

BOGOs:
Publix Deli Southern Style Potato Salad, 16 oz container, save up to 2.49
Campbell's Select Harvest Soup, 18.6 to 18.8 oz can, (excluding bowls), save up to 2.39
Dole Fruit, Gel or Parfait Bowls, 4 pk, 4 or 4.3 oz cup, save up to 2.29
Joffrey's Coffee & Tea Company Coffee, 16 oz bag, save up to 9.99
Thomas' English Muffins The Original, Plain, 12 oz pkg, save up to 2.99
Quaker Oats Oatmeal, Quick-1 Minute or Old Fashioned, 18 oz tube, save up to 2.59
Aunt Jemima Syrup, 24 oz bottle, save up to 3.49
Aunt Jemima Pancake & Waffle Mix, 32 or 35 oz box, save up to 2.59
Post Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal, 13 to 18 oz box, or Just Bunches!, 17 oz box (excluding Family Size), save up to 3.99
Kellogg's Eggo Waffles or Special K, 9.9 to 12.6 oz box, save up to 1.99
Bantry Bay Mussels, 16 oz pkg, save up to 4.99
T. Marzetti's Dressing, 12 or 15 oz jar, save up to 3.99
Quaker Cereal Cap'N Crunch, 20.7 to 22 oz, Life, 21 oz or Squares, 16 oz box, save up to 4.49
Pillsbury Moist Supreme Cake Mix, 18.25 or 18.9 oz box, save up to 1.69
Ronzoni Pasta, 12 or 16 oz box, (excluding Lasagna, Manicotti, Jumbo Shells, or Florentine), save up to 1.39
Zatarain's New Orleans Style Mix, 5.2 to 8 oz box, save up to 1.99
Ocean Spray Juice Cocktail or Cranergy or Juice Drinks, 4 or 6 pk, 10 or 12 oz bot, save up to 3.99
La Famiglia DelGrosso Pasta Sauce, 26 oz jar, save up to 7.99
Powerade Sports Drink, Liquid Hydration + Energy, 8 pk, 20 oz bot, or 10 pk, 12 oz bot, save up to 6.79
Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 32 oz bot, save up to 11.99
Carroll Shelby's Chili Kit Original Texas Brand: White Chicken or for Beef, Fix It Hot or Mild, 3 or 4 oz box, save up to 2.19
A.1. Steak Sauce, 10 oz bot, save up to 3.75
Mt. Olive Sweet Relish or Pickles, 16 oz jar, save up to 2.19
Quaker Quakes Rice Snacks, 3.03 to 4 oz bag, save up to 1.79
Orville Redenbacher's Popping Corn, Microwave, 6 or 10 pk, 12 to 19.8 oz box, save up to 4.89
Nature's Own Bread, all natural or organic 24 oz loaf, save up to 3.49
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures or Hershey's Kisses, Miniatures, Nuggets or Hugs & Kisses, or York Peppermint Patties, Big Bag, 17 to 19.75 oz bag, save up to 5.49
Nabisco Ritz Crackers, 13.66 to 16 oz box, save up to 2.99
Keebler Fudge Shoppe Cookies or Wafers or E.L. Fudge, 8.5 to 15 oz pkg, save up to 3.49
Yoplait Yo-Plus or Yo-Plus Light Yogurt, 4 pk, 4 oz cup, save up to 2.50
Kozy Shack Pudding, 22 oz tub, save up to 2.89
Smart Balance Spread, 13 or 15 oz, or 2 pk, 7.5 oz tub, or Spray, 8 oz bot, save up to 2.59
PhillySwirl Frozen Treats, 17.5 to 24 oz pkg, save up to 2.99
New York Texas Toast 13.5 oz box, Olde World Ciabatta Cheese Rolls, 10 oz box, or Garlic & Parmesan Pizzeria Dip'N Sticks, 11.5 or 16 oz box, save up to 3.29
Kahiki Meals, 32 oz pkg, save up to 6.99
Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend Sticks: Omega-3, Original or Made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 16 oz box, save up to 3.49
Purina Tida Cats Cat Litter or Box Filler, 14 lb pkg, save up to 6.99
Spray 'n Wash Laundry Stain Remover Advanced or Max with Resolve Power, 12 or 22 oz bot, save up to 2.99
Fantastik Cleaner, 26 or 32 oz bot, save up to 2.99
Lysol Basin, Tub & Tile Cleaner Aerosol, 24 oz can, save up to 2.99
Right Guard Xtreme Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant, 2 to 4 oz pkg, save up to 3.99
Birds Eye Voila! Meal, 21 to 23 oz bag, save up to 4.99
Ore-Ida Steam n' Mash Potatoes, 24 oz pkg, save up to 3.99
Gorton's Fish, 18.2 to 24.5 oz pkg, surprisingly low price