Valpak.com Shopper & Coupon Blog: October 2005

Monday, October 24, 2005

College Savings for You and Your Kids

Save for your kids to attend college with Upromise .

Upromise is a free service designed to help families save for college. All you have to do is register your savings and credit cards with Upromise and you'll save as you shop for the things you need. Savings can be twice as nice because if you buy certain products that are affiliated with Upromise, a certain percentage of that goes into your registered account.

Here are some online savings associated with Upromise:

Get 3% college savings on each $5 book of gift certificates purchased from McDonald's®
Save 1% on any Kellogg’s® Cereals
Shop Bed Bath & Beyond for all your home decorating needs and save 1% with your registered credit or debit card.
Get 8% back when you dine out and pay with your registered credit card.
Save at Exxon and Mobil locations when you buy a total of 20 or more gallons in a calendar month.
Visit Upromise Grocery & Drug to see all the products you can earn savings when you purchase them at your local grocery store. I have been able to save $300 towards my child's college funds by joining Upromise.

Start stocking away that college money today!

Friday, October 21, 2005

Update Your Bathroom at Low Cost

From MSN Lifestyle, find out how to spruce up your bathroom for under $50.

New Towels – Buy a new color of hand towels or wash clothes that compliment your existing color scheme. Roll them up and place them, standing, in a basket for a colorful, interesting accent. Check Linens-n-Things for their sale on Odyssey bath towels.
Frame Your Mirror – If you have a basic mirror on the wall behind the sink, jazz it up by framing it. Cut your choice of molding to fit around the frame and paint it. See Michael’s for sectional frame kits.
Paint – Paint your bathroom in a new fresh color. Remember to choose a color that compliments your tiles, if you have them. See Home Depot’s selection of interior paints.
New Shower Curtain – A new shower curtain with unique hooks can be a big improvement. For smaller bathrooms, try using a clear shower curtain to give the effect of a larger room. Look through Bed, Bath and Beyond for a great selection of shower curtains.
New Accessories –
- Buy an inexpensive bowl and fill it with sample-size toiletries for your guests.
- Use a few colored soaps around your sink.
- Buy candles according to your color scheme and group them on a shelf.
- Buy a new soap dispenser and matching wastebasket.
- Add a small glass vase with fresh flowers.
- Target has a wide variety of bath accessories.

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Give the Gift of Sight

Halloween is fast approaching. This year why not do something more than just hand out candy to the local kids? Donate your used glasses to participating trick-or-treators. The donations go to the Give the Gift of Sight Foundation who, in turn, delivers them to those in need in developing third world countries. This year the organization plans to travel on 12 international missions helping approximately 20,000 people. This event is sponsored in part with The Lion’s Club. For information on how you and your children can get involved please visit Sight Night.

Friday, October 14, 2005

Home Décor Discounts

Interested in sprucing up your home decor for fall? There are tons of online savings opportunities at you fingertips.

Linens ‘n Things is currently offering 50% off of all Yankee Candles.
Up to 30% off living room sale going on now at Pier 1 Imports.
Shop Macy's and save 10-50% on Fresh Home Style thru 10/23.
Target is having their biggest furniture event of the year, offering free shipping and more.
Don’t forget to check out the clearance page at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Also, sign up for some special offers through their email club.

For interior decorating tips and tricks, read through About.com.

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Easy Ideas to Reduce Home Heating Costs

Winter is fast approaching at a time when prices are on the rise for oil and natural gas. This could mean big bills for heating your house this season. Luckily there are some ways to cut the cost.

Turn down the thermostat. B setting it back 10 degrees when at work and sleeping you can estimate a savings of 14%.
Turn down the water heater. Keeping the temperature of the water at 155-120 reduces the use of power without any noticeable differences to the users.
Keep heating vents clear. Vents blocked by rugs and furniture prevent heated air from circulating efficiently.
Use curtains. Opening curtains and shades on south-facing rooms during the day allows the sun to warm a room. Closing curtains at night helps prevent heated air from escaping.

Here are some low cost home improvement fixes to keep your bills down:

Block any leaks. Small gaps surrounding windows, doors and other areas in the house could be allowing heated air to escape. Try using door sweeps, caulk, and tacky rope to block gaps in door and window frames. Also, try installing outlet gaskets electrical outlets, where cold air can enter.
Buy a smart thermostat. These thermostats allow you to program times to change the temperature. This is especially helpful if you are the forgetful type.
Keep your furnace in shape. Replace the air filter once a month. If you have an oil boiler it should be cleaned and tuned annually. Gas systems should be cleaned and tuned every two years.

For more energy saving idea please read 12 Ways to Fight Soaring Heating Bills.
Save on home improvement tools by visiting the Home Depot Promotional Center, the Lowes Weekly Ads and the Valpak.com Home & Garden category.

Thursday, October 06, 2005

Halloween Savings, Recipes and Tips

Halloween is only a few weeks away. Children and adults are getting ready for Halloween Parties and trick or treating. I have found below some tips that can help while trick or treating, planning parties and even a few quick and easy recipes.

Some great savings for groceries and costumes for Halloween:

Grocery Savings
Juciy Juice SAVE $1.00 when you buy 2
Sara Lee Breads 75¢ OFF any Package
Chi-Chi's Salsa or Picante Sauce SAVE 55¢ on any one jar

Costume Savings
• Can’t forget the pets on Halloween Savings Smart has great prices on costumes for your pets.
• At Costumes4less.com they have an offer that if you find a lower price anywhere else, you get an extra 10% Discount.

Quick and Easy Party Recipes
Bat Sandwiches
Halloween Sparkle Punch
Coffin Sandwiched
Spooky Eyeball Tacos

Safety, Carving and Party Planning Tips
Safety issues always come up around Halloween, Visit Halloween Safety Guide for safety tips and more.

• Pumpkin Carving Tips will give you some ideas on how to liven up your pumpkin.
• Halloween Planning Central has all the tips and more to get ready for a Halloween Party.

Have a safe and fun Halloween!

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Website Highlight

Have you seen TJMaxx online? It’s a great resource for absolutely anything you from clothing to furniture to jewelry, everything is there and for seriously reduced prices. New in are dresses and jewelry, every woman’s basic necessities. Also be sure to check out the clearance section for must have items. Create an account to become a member and receive the latest updates on the greatest deals. Plus, if you’re in need of a last minute gift idea simply hop on their website, type in the dollar amount and have a gift certificate shipped for free.

Happy shopping!