From the monthly archives:

May 2010

May
31

Triple (quadruple or quintuple?) dip on the Kraft at Albertsons!

My friend Sarah did a good job of noting multiple Kraft product promotions at Albertsons! I thought I’d share this with you in case anyone else wanted to take advantage. This is really stellar, and I wasn’t aware of all of these coupons and Catalinas, so I’m simply going to copy an excerpt from her original email:

Salad dressing/Mayo has the instant $3 off when you buy 6, Salad dressing has a $3 CAT when you buy 4 and they both count toward the spend $25, get $5.  Had two BOGO free coupons from facebook for the Nabisco 100 Calorie packs and had a free coupon from the recent Kraft mailing for the deli meat and Mac & Cheese.  Cool whip has a Cat, buy 5 get $3 OYNO.  And these all qualify for the buy $30 of Kraft product, get $10 rebate that was part of the mailing from Kraft first taste.

All told, Sarah spent $18.71 at Albertsons, got $11 in Catalinas, and will receive a $10 Rebate from Kraft (this rebate form came on the Kraft free sampler I shared with my FB followers awhile ago). Bottom line? A $2 money-maker!! Oh my goodness, Sarah…this is awesome, but my head hurts! LOL!

Included in her picture above are items she picked up at Walgreens, Winco, and Fred Meyer. Everything pictured above comes to just $6.85 after coupons, Catalinas, rebates, and sales. The retail value? $98.97. CRAZY.

Given your amazing awesomeness in putting this together, I’m hereby awarding you the very first Coupon Project Award of Couponing Excellence. Congrats, Sarah!!


See the current Albertsons deals to plan your own trip!

Don't miss another deal! Get a consolidated daily deals email or subscribe to my feed.

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May
31

Fred Meyer Extra Savings Matchups 5/26 – 6/22

Here are the best matchups I could find for the month at Fred Meyer! You can find this booklet in the front of the store, next to the weekly ads. My Fred Meyer is really good about leaving the coupons from the booklet next to the products on the shelves.

Mission Chips
$1.25 each with booklet coupon
Stack with $1.50/2 tearpad coupon if you have any left! (EXPIRES 5/31 TODAY!)
Bottom line: $0.50 each

Powerade
$0.69 each with in-ad coupon

Classico Pasta Sauce $2.50
$1/2 printable coupon
Bottom line: $2 each
(Not a stock-up price in my opinion)

Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce $1.50
$1/2 coupon from 5/23 SmartSource
Bottom line: $1 each
(Get it for free at Albertsons through tomorrow!)

Minute Maid Cooloers, 10-pack
$1.50

Del Monte Fruit Chillers $2.50
$1/1 printable coupon
Bottom line: $1.50

Fred Meyer Microwave Popcorn
$0.99 each with booklet coupon

Krusteaz Fudge Brownie Mix
$1 each

Post Cereal
$1.50 each with booklet coupon (first 4)
Stack with $1/2 coupon from 5/16 SmartSource (two varieties)
Bottom line: $1 each

MCP and Sure Jell Pectin $2
Buy 4, get a 5 lb Fred Meyer Sugar FREE with booklet coupon (first 1)
Stack with (2) Buy 2, get $2 Sugar FREE tearpad coupons (if you can find them!)
Bottom line: $8 for 4 Pectin, 5 lb sugar, and $2 worth of additional sugar for free

Private Selection Organic Milk, 1/2 gallon
$2.50

Muir Glen Pasta Sauce or Tomato Products
25% off
$1/1 printable coupon
(Note: you might look for a smaller tomato sauce or tomato paste for the best deal!)

Band-Aid Kids’ Character Bandages $1.99
$0.50/1 coupon from 4/25 SmartSource
Bottom line: $1.49

Save $5 on Iams Dry Dog Food with booklet coupon (first 1)
Stack with $1/1 – $3/1 coupons from 5/2 P&G (EXPIRE TODAY)
(I imagine we’ll see additional Iams coupons in the June P&G)

Before you head out, make sure to read this week’s Fred Meyer deals!

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May
31

Five reasons to stop “Flying under the radar”

“Flying under the radar:”

A phrase often used by couponers to describe methods of shopping whereby couponer works to avoid bringing attention to him or herself. The term may also be used to reflect a hope that others will not notice the enormous wad of coupons in your pocket on the way to checkout. (Angela Russell Dictionary of Couponese)

If you are a shy when it comes to couponing (as I sometimes can be), you might find the idea of “flying under the radar” attractive. After all, you don’t want to create a fuss at checkout, do you? Or have people gawk at your coupon binder and grocery cart full of toilet paper and tuna fish? Guess what. I’ve decided flying under the radar is NOT the way to go, and here’s why.

1. You shouldn’t have to act sneaky for something that isn’t. Shoplifting? Sneaky. (Not to mention, illegal.) Using coupons according to a store’s coupon policy? Savvy. I’ll admit, there have been times I thought I’d just get in and use the self scan to do a couple transactions back to back. While technically I wasn’t doing anything wrong, by trying to not draw attention to myself I ended up feeling sneaky. Folks, you shouldn’t have to feel guilty for using coupons!

2. You may miss out on deals. Believe it or not, did you know some cashiers enjoy seeing your good deals? And that some will even share with you how to find coupons and deals within their store? While this doesn’t happen all the time, it does happen. Start talking to hard-core couponers you know and they’ll tell you about the time some nice manager or cashier helped them save some money! I’ve personally had this happen before.

3. You’ll be able to better determine which stores are coupon friendly. I’ve really grown in my confidence at checkout. One of the biggest things that’s helped is just sharing with my cashiers about coupons. For instance, I might start off like this: “I have a bunch of coupons to use today.” They almost always thank me for the heads-up or say “OK.” If they seem friendly or give a rather enthusiastic response then I might continue with, “yeah, you have a great sale going on X right now that pairs with this X coupon…” Now I’m talking about their store and a deal that made me shop there today! On more than one occasion I’ve had a cashier ask about where I’ve gotten a coupon to do a particular deal. If I get to that point, I know I’ve found a coupon-friendly cashier, and probably, store. This is useful for me to know. If I have a store that is glad to see me with my coupons, I’ll be more confident in shopping there. In my mind, this is a serious advantage over flying under the radar! Have those conversations at checkout (where appropriate, of course).

4. Your experience with using coupons at stores is likely to be more positive. Take Laura, a friend and reader. She wrote to tell me about her experience at Rite Aid this week. Laura writes that she went to her “home” Rite Aid, “where everyone knows me because of my crazy coupons.” Lest you think this is a bad thing, I want you to follow what happens next. Laura had been looking for an advertised product for a deal she wanted to do. After not finding it, the manager ends up looking and going into the back until he finds the item for Laura! Her conclusion: “I think it was because the staff knows me that they were willing to go the extra mile to take a look.” Laura has obviously been nice and respectful to store staff and in the end, everyone benefits. (And incidentally, you can read more about her shopping trip.) Does this happen all the time? No. But if you fly under the radar? Good luck finding help like that when you need it.

5. If you’re saving big money, you shouldn’t care what others think. If you see another shopper checking out the odd smattering of items in your grocery cart, should you care? I personally don’t. Especially if I get those items for ridiculously cheap. Remember, you’re working to save money to feed your family. At the end of the day, that’s what matters.

I think you should feel comfortable using your coupons, proud even. You shouldn’t have to hide what you’re doing so long as you’re playing by the rules. Now do you need to disclose exactly how far you’ve taken this “couponing thing” to your friends, other shoppers, and cashiers? How you pour over couponing blogs and forums to find the best deals? How you lovingly collect your coupons from the Sunday inserts each week? How you keep a binder full of hundreds of coupons in the back of your car at all times? Well, my friend, that’s entirely up to you.

What about you? Do you “fly under the radar” or have thoughts about this couponing mentality?

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May
31

Celebrating 1,000 likers giveaway winner announced!

Thank you again to everyone who has supported me on my blogging journey! As a reminder, this weekend I hit a huge milestone with over 1,000 Facebook “likers!” (You can join this fun bunch over here.)

The winner of the Adagio IngenuiTEA was randomly selected from all 78 entries…

Congrats to ….

AMY!!

I will be emailing you later today to coordinate getting your prize delivered. CONGRATS!!

Didn’t win? Don’t forget I still have another giveaway running…for the Shrektacular Savings Prize Pack! That contest ends today so hurry up and enter for your chance to win!

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May
30

Target deals 5/30 – 6/5

Coupons Deals and More

Thanks to Coupons, Deals and More for her work on the Target deals this week! First off, there are new Target printable coupons that have been released today. Be sure to check them out!

Here are a couple highlights:

SoBe Lifewater $1
B1G1 Free coupon (and Firefox version)
Receive a $5 Target gift card when you buy 10
Bottom line: $0 – $0.30 each (depending on how many coupons you can gather)

Smart Ones $1.89
$5/10 printable coupon
Receive a $5 Target gift card when you buy 10
Bottom line:  $0.89 each

Check out these additional Target deals, Temporary Price Cuts, and other information to help you plan your Target trip!

I also want to point out this deal I noticed while reading the ad:

Alice in Wonderland 3-Disc Blu-Ray Combo $26.99
$10/1 printable coupon
Bottom line: $16.99
(You might also consider the Fred Meyer deal on this movie I posted late last night)

Happy Target shopping!

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May
30

Fred Meyer deals 5/30 – 6/5

Here are my favorite Fred Meyer deals this week. I realize I owe you a new Extra Savings coupon booklet matchup, too! (These are the store coupon booklets right when you walk into Fred Meyer.)

Until then, you’ll have to enjoy this week’s matchups:

Organic Strawberries, 1 lb
$2

Foster Farms Fresh Fryer Breasts
$0.99/lb

Fred Meyer Whipped Topping
$0.50 each with in-ad coupon (first 2)

Fred Meyer Canned Vegetables
$0.50 each with in-ad coupon (first 8 )

Fred Meyer Bagels or English Muffins
$1.25 each with in-ad coupon (first 8 )

Land O’ Frost Lunch Meat
$3 each with in-ad coupon (first 4)
Stack with $1/1 coupon from 4/25 Red Plum
Bottom line: $2

Trident Gum
$0.69 each with in-ad coupon (first 5)

Fred Meyer Large Eggs, 18-ct
$1.88

Lysol Cleaners
33% off
Coupons from 5/23 SmartSource

Fresh Blueberries, 18 oz
$3.88

Broccoli Crowns or Cauliflower
$0.98/lb

Genisoy (Soy or Sweet Crisps, Bars, Protein Powder)
30% off
Look for peelies on these products!

Schiff Glucosamine
50% off
$3/1 coupon from 5/2 SmartSource

Blue Diamond Almond Breeze $2.50
$1/1 coupon from 5/23 SmartSource
Bottom line: $1.50

All Pizza (includes everything from Kashi to Red Baron, Amy’s, Newman’s Own, and more!)
30% off
DiGiorno coupons from 4/11 and 5/16 SmartSource
$1.25/1 Freschetta coupon from 3/7 SmartSource
$1/1 California Pizza Kitchen coupon from 5/2 SmartSource
$1/1 Newman’s Own Thin & Crispy printable coupon
Red Baron coupons from 4/25 and 5/23 SmartSource

Minute Maid Cooloers, 10-pack
$1.50

Big K Pop, 2-Liter
$0.50 each with in-ad coupon (first 4)

Fred Meyer Water, 24 Pack
$1.99 with in-ad coupon (first 2)

Langers Juice Cranberry Cocktails
$1.50 each with in-ad coupon (first 6)

Fred Meyer 1/2 Gallon Milk or Orange Juice
$1.25 each with in-ad coupon (first 8 )

deals from around the store

Looking really sleepy this week. However, there are few things I want to bring to your attention.

1) There is a 10% off Patio Sets Extra Bonus coupon (no limit) in your ad.
2) Swimwear is 50% off (and save $7 on Hawaiian Tropic if you spend $30 or more of swimwear & in-store coupon)
3) Luggage is 50-60$ off
2) There is potentially a decent deal on the Alice in Wonderland Combo (released June 1):

Alice in Wonderland Blu-ray Combo $29.99
$10/1 printable coupon
Bottom line: $19.99
PLUS, according to the ad there is an additional in-store coupon for a free gallon of Fred Meyer milk and Fred Meyer Honey Nut Toasted Oats cereal when you buy this item. While the ad states that it’s a manufacturer’s coupon, I’m wondering if that’s truly the case since the items are Fred Meyer label. I’d try to use both the $10/1 printable and the free items coupon.

Find more Fred Meyer and grocery store deals at The Grocery Gathering!!

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May
30

Walgreens deals 5/30 – 6/5

Here are my favorite deals at Walgreens for the week.

The week’s best deals

Reach Crystal Clean Toothbrush and Floss $0.99
$1/1 coupons in 4/11 and 5/16 Red Plum
Bottom line: FREE

U by Kotex Feminine Care $3.49
$1/1 coupon from 4/18 SmartSource
Receive a $2.50 Register Reward
Bottom line: FREE

Luster White 7 Toothpaste $5
Receive a $5 Register Reward
Bottom line: FREE

Ecotrin $2
$2/1 coupon from 5/16 Red Plum
Receive a $2 Register Reward
Bottom line: ($2)

Walgreens A-Z Select Multivitamins, 60 ct. $2
Receive a $2 Register Reward
Bottom line: FREE

Rejuvicare Ultimate Skin, Hair, or Nail Supplement $9.99
Receive a $9.99 Register Reward
Bottom line: FREE

Cortaid Maximum Strength Anti-Itch Cream $3
$1/1 coupon from 4/25 SmartSource
Submit for $3 mail-in rebate (prints at checkout)
Bottom line: ($1)

Other deals of note

Huggies Jumbo Pack Diapers $8.99
$3/1 printable coupon (Little Snugglers/Little Movers)
OR $2.50/1 printable coupon (Pure & Natural)
Bottom line: $5.99 – $6.49
(On sale at Rite Aid for $2.99 a pack after rebate this week!)

Hershey’s Pieces 10-10.5 bag (Reese’s, York, etc.) $2.50
Buy (4) and use (4) $1/1 coupon from 4/18 SmartSource
Receive a $5 Register Reward when you buy $10 or more
Bottom line: $0.25 each

24-Pack Pure Drinking Water, 16.9 oz
$2.49 each (limit 2)
5/30 – 5/31 ONLY

Kingsford Charcoal $3.99
Free Glad, KC Masterpiece, Hidden Valley when you buy Kingsford printable coupons 
5/30 – 5/31 ONLY

Lindsay Olives
$0.99 each with in-ad coupon (limit 3)
Stack with $1/2 printable coupon
Bottom line: $0.49 each

Campbell’s Chunky Soup
$1.25 each with in-ad coupon (limit 4)
Stack with $1/2 printable coupon
Bottom line: $0.75 each

Air Wick i Motion Kit
50% off
$4/1 coupons from 4/25 and 5/16 SmartSource
Bottom line: ~$1 (?)

Printer Cartridge Refill
$4 off with in-ad coupon (black or color)
Bottom line: $8.99 each

Garnier Nutrisse or 100% Hair Color
$4.99 with in-ad coupon (limit 4)
Stack with $2/1 coupon from 5/9 SmartSource
Bottom line: $2.99

Walgreens Baby Care (Jumbo Pack Diapers, 210-240 pack wipes)
$4.99 each with in-ad coupon (limit 3)

Gillette Fusion ProGlide Manual or Power Razor System $9.89
In stores Saturday, 6/4
Receive a $5 Register Reward
Bottom line: $4.89
(Note, I would NOT buy this razor for $4.89. I’m sharing this deal because I am fairly certain we’ll see a P&G insert next weekend. If you get the advance edition on Saturday, you might check for a coupon for this item. Maybe we’ll find a $4/1 coupon again! But WAIT until Saturday.)

favorite filler item ideas

As a reminder, you must have at least as many items in a given transaction as the number of manufacturer coupons you’re presenting. And it’s important to note that your Register Rewards are treated as manufacturers’ coupons. So if you head to check out with one item, a coupon and a Register Reward, the register won’t accept both. How to remedy this? Simply buy a small “filler item” to balance your transaction. Again…make sure you at least have as many items as manufacturers’ coupons. Store coupons thankfully do NOT count!

Best bets for this week:
VO5 Shampoo or Conditioner $0.69
Arizona Tea $0.50 each with in-ad coupon (limit 4)
Royal Gelatin $0.20 each with in-ad coupon (limit 5)
Salt or Baking Soda $0.50 each with in-ad coupon (first 4)
Look for small garden-related items (seeds, maybe?)
Look for small food items – I like the instant coffee packets – the Royal Gelatin also works
Looks for single pencils & cheap stationery items
Look for Walgreens water bottles priced at $0.49! My store had these near the diabetic section (towards the pharmacy). They were on a shelf and filled with first aid items.

more walgreens help?

Need some help making sense of all this Register Reward stuff? I’ve written quite a bit on the topic HERE, HERE, and HERE.

For more Walgreens love, be sure to see The Grocery Gathering.

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May
30

Rite Aid deals 5/30 – 6/5

As usual, there is a lot going on at Rite Aid. Let me start by telling you a few things you should know about before we dive into the deals for the week.

1. Wellness Program. Have you signed up to receive your free card for this new program yet? Not only will you receive exclusive discounts and coupons, you’ll be eligible to earn valuable savings when you present it to make your Rite Aid purchases.

2. Video Values. We’re nearing the end of May, so I’d watch and print those Rite Aid coupons now if you want them! I imagine we’ll see the June batch up soon. Of note, a $5-off-$25 printable and a $5-off-$20 printable coupon you can use towards your Rite Aid purchase.

3. Rite Aid Rebates. We’ve entered a new rebate month at Rite Aid! Make sure to enter any outstanding rebates you have from May and submit for your rebate! There are some pretty great new rebates this month, too, and you can check them out here. For more information on Rite Aid rebates, scroll to the bottom of this post.

The week’s best deals

Huggies Jumbo Diapers or Training Pants $8.99
$1/1 Video Values printable coupon
Stack with $3/1 printable coupon (Little Movers or Little Snugglers only)
OR $2.50/1 Pure & Naturals printable coupon (NEW!! find it under household)
Submit for $2 Rite Aid rebate
Bottom line: as low as $2.99

Garnier Herbashine $5.99
$2/1 Video Values printable coupon (it appears this is no longer available)
Stack with $2/1 coupon from 5/2 P&G 5/9 SmartSource
Bottom line: $1.99

Soft & Beautiful or Botanical Relaxer Kit $4.99
Submit for $4 Rite Aid rebate
Bottom line: $0.99

Other deals of note

Carefree, Stayfree, O.B. (select) $1.99
$1/1 coupons from 4/25 SmartSource
Bottom line: $0.99

Nivea for Men
$3 off skin care products
$3/1 body wash coupon from 5/2 Red Plum
$1/1 – $2/1 coupons from 4/25 Red Plum
Submit for $5 Rite Aid rebate when you spend $15 or more on Nivea Men
Bottom line: ????
(These items also eligible for skin care rebate #555 – see below)

Coppertone Skin Care $8.99
Save $2 with in-ad coupon
Stack with $1/1 printable coupon
Bottom line: $5.99
(Also eligible for rebate #555 – see below)

Gillette Disposable Razor $5.99
$3/1 coupon from 5/2 P&G
Bottom line: $2.99

Ban Deodorant
Buy one, get one free
Use (2) $1/1 coupons from 4/18 SmartSource
Bottom line: ???

Sure Deodorant
Buy one, get one free
Use (2) $1.50/1 coupons from 5/2 SmartSource
Bottom line: ???

Ziploc Bags
Buy one, get one free
$1/2 coupon from 5/16 SmartSource
Don’t forget this $5 rebate from SC Johnson when you buy any 3 of their products!

Glade Sense and Spray $6.99
$4/1 coupon from 5/9 SmartSource
Bottom line: $2.99
(Also eligible for the $5 rebate mentioned above!)

Sudafed PE, 24-36 ct., $4.99
$5/2 coupon from 4/11 Red Plum
Bottom line: $2.49 each

Foster Grant/Style Science Sunglasses $12.99 (select varieties)
$5/1 Foster Grant Video Values printable coupon
Submit for $10 Rite Aid rebate when you buy 2
Bottom line: $5.49 each
(Note: you may wait to see if these go on better sale this month; we recently saw them drop to about $5.99 – $9.99! But print your coupon NOW – it’s good through 6/30).

Sample Shopping Trip

Wondering how you might make the most of your coupons, rebates, and sales? Here’s one simple trip idea I came up with using the list above.

Buy:
Huggies Little Movers $8.99
Soft and Botanical Relaxer Kit $4.99
Garnier Herbashine: $5.99
Buy a 25-cent filler item such as a postcard, single piece of candy
Subtotal: $20.22

Present these coupons:
$5-off-$20 Rite Aid Video Values coupon (Wellness)
$1 off Huggies Video Values
$3 off Huggies manufacturer’s printable coupon
$2 off Garnier Video Values
$2 off Garnier manufacturer’s coupon
Pay at checkout: $7.22

Submit for these Rite Aid rebates:
$2 Huggies
$4 Relaxer Kit

Bottom line: $1.22 for everything!!

In this scenario, you actually get those diapers CHEAPER by adding the other items into your transaction.

I also think the Nivea Men products would be a good one to look at – using a $5-off-$20 or a $5-off-$25, you might be able to score a pretty sweet deal!

About Rite Aid Rebates

About Rite Aid rebate #555: This is a skin care rebate and it’s good on a number of brands, including Rite Aid’s own label. Purchase $25 worth of products between 5/30 – 7/24, you’ll earn a $10 Rite Aid gift card. Purchase $50 worth, you’ll earn a $50 card. According to the fine print, the total is calculate AFTER your coupons. Given that, take your time here…you have  a couple months to earn this one!

If you’ve never used Rite Aid’s rebate program before…it’s super easy! All you need to do is signup for an online rebate account. As you buy items throughout the monthly rebate cycle, just log on and enter in the information prompted from your receipt. No need to collect those receipts and mail in. There is something very important to note: you may only submit for your rebate check ONCE per cycle. So enter in your information, but only submit once you’re sure you’re done buying rebate items for the month. When your check arrives, it will look like a little postcard. You can use it as a gift certificate for your next Rite Aid purchases or do what I do, just deposit it at your bank.

For more Rite Aid deals, be sure to check out The Grocery Gathering.

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May
29

Celebrating 1,000 “likers” by giving away something I like!

I’m so excited to share that The Coupon Project recently hit a big milestone – more than 1,000 “likers” on Facebook! I wanted to do something to show my appreciation, so I’ve decided to throw a little giveaway to celebrate!

I’ve decided to simply give away something I “like!”  And that would be good quality, loose leaf tea. One lucky reader is going to win this awesome IngenuiTEA teapot and four tea samplers! You’ll get to choose from black, green, flavors, or herbal. I wish I could give this to each of you, but my budget is well…frugal.

If you’ve never heard of Adagio Teas, you might want to keep them on your radar. All their gift sets come with free wrapping and a tea book. I actually purchased these as hostess gifts once and they were a BIG hit. The loose leaf chamomile had flowers in it – not just flecks and dust. AMAZING stuff.

So how do you enter? Just leave a comment – that’s it! My strong preference is that you follow me on Facebook to enter, but hey, I’m not gonna make you!

This contest will run through the weekend only and will close on Sunday at midnight Pacific Standard Time.

Good luck! And thank you!!

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May
29

MaMere’s B&B: 50% off for military (reserve by 5/31)

Reader Gabbie emailed me about a charming B&B in the Willamette Valley, Oregon called MaMere’s. As a thank you to military personnel, they are offering military men and women and their families a 50% discount when booked by May 31, 2010.  You can read more about the discount on their Facebook page. With rooms starting at $79 for regular rate, I think you’ve got yourself a nice deal!

According to their website, the B&B is located in very close proximity to a number of the region’s wineries. There is also nearby boutique shopping, biking trails, and a lavender farm.

Remember, you need to book your reservation on or by May 31, 2010 and you need to mention this offer when booking!

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