Ace Hardware has a couple pretty stellar gardening deals if you’re interested! Through May 20th, grab 42″ tomato cages for $3.33 each and a cedar raised bed kit for just $29.99! The raised bed is a four foot square and 7″ deep. It’s expandable and stackable, too.

This is super handy for me because I ended up buying more tomato plants than initially planned and had held off on buying cages! I will definitely be making a trip in.

I’m not sure if this sale is happening at all Ace Hardware stores, so I highly recommend you check out the ad to your local store before making a trip out.

Thanks, Happy Money Saver!

Need some kids’ clothes? If so, get thee to Shopko.com! Right now, they are having a HOT clearance sale on kids’ and babies’ clothing with discounts of up to 90% off.

To find it – click on the red clearance tab at the top of the screen, then hit “kids”. Make sure to poke around the various categories, too. Check out these cute Angry Birds backpacks I found for just about $7!

If your order is $50 or more, use coupon code SUMMER10 to save $10.

Let us know what you’re able to snag!

WOW! Here’s a fantastic FREE ecoupon you can load to your Fred Meyer Rewards Card or QFC Advantage Card: it’s good for a box of Fruttare Frozen Fruit & Milk Bars or Fruit & Juice Bars! To find it, select your Kroger store of choice, then sort by “most recent.”

This ecoupon is only available to download today, but you’ll have through 6/1/13 to redeem it. Just purchase the item, present your shopping card at checkout, and the price will come off.

If you’re making a trip out, you might be interested to see this week’s Fred Meyer ad (it’s a good one – it’s the Founders Day sale through Saturday!) or the QFC deals through next Tuesday.

Thanks, Frugal Living NW!

In April, I launched a spring series called Frugal Gardening. You can watch for new posts in this series each Monday and Friday and an update on my own garden each Tuesday. In case you missed them, you can go back and read previous posts and updates on my Frugal Gardening page.

Garden Tools Need Not be Expensive

It’s really, really easy to sink a lot of money into gardening. While I love a cute and pretty garden, I do have to pay close attention…. a few containers here, a few new tools there…. and it can add up before you know it.

For fun, I decided to pop into my local Dollar Tree to see what I could find throughout the store that might serve a purpose in my garden. For each item, I’m going to share my thoughts on ways to use it (if it’s not readily apparent!). And before we get started, let me remind you this is a dollar store. So yes, EVERYTHING pictured is just $1!

Ready to see what I found? Let’s do it!

#1: Kids buckets & shovels! Perfect for letting them “help” (or just play, as the case may be). I try to keep a few of the kids gardening toys out in the greenhouse for easy access.

#2: Kids’ aprons. This could be a nice way to keep their clothes looking nice while digging in the dirt and mud.

#3: Butterfly nets. This is another “just for fun” idea. I bought my daughter one, but sadly, she’s yet to catch a butterfly. It keeps her quite occupied though. (And my husband too – he claims he caught one and it flew out, but none of us actually saw this happen.) I also think these would make neat party favors!

#4 – Small plates. This 8-pack of small plastic plates would make perfect saucers under your pots!

#5 – Clear wrap. I used some wrap like this to insulate my tomato cages when I first planted them outside (you can see how it looks in this garden update from last week). This kind of is like an inexpensive, make-shift greenhouse to protect young plants from transplant shock or to extend the season.

#6: Gardening gloves. All kinds! I’ve learned it’s a good idea to keep several handy as I’m always losing them. (Get it…”handy?” Get it?! Never miss an opportunity for a bad pun!)

#7: Small gardening tools and accessories. I found hand trowels, rakes, small plant hangers, and the like.

#8 & 9: Watering cans and pots. For some reason, my picture of the many pots and containers I found didn’t take, but you can kind of see them surrounding this watering can. I swear I’ve seen ones that look like this for a LOT more than $1!

#10: Bubble wrap. You can use this similar to the cling wrap mentioned above to surround caged plants to protect against chilly nights. If you have a portable greenhouse similar to the one I have, you could also conceivably use some to insulate the inside and provide extra warmth as needed.

#11: Bundled utensils. These make very “Pinteresty” plant markers. (You can see my spoon marker tutorial or look into metal stamping for an alternate idea.)

#12: Splatter screen. I think these would be excellent for drying your own seeds! In fact, I liked this idea so much, I bought one myself for that very purpose. I am thinking you could also lay out herbs or flowers to dry on a screen like this.

#13: Baskets. I’m thinking these plastic baskets would be perfect for harvesting your veggies and bringing to the kitchen! They had a wide assortment of sizes and colors.

#14: Spray bottles. These are one of my favorite dollar store finds because there are SO many possibilities…. fill with water to mist tender young seedlings. Prepare and fill with your own pest or weed solutions. Add organic fertilizer solution and spray the leaves of your plants. These are also fantastic for making your own cleaners. I found these on an end cap near the cleaning section, but also found some smaller varieties in the beauty/travel section. 

#15: Big floppy hat. Perfect for keeping the sun out of your eyes! I also found bandannas and sunscreen.

#16: Wood clothespins. I picked some of these up and I honestly am not sure how I will use them exactly. Perhaps to clip things inside my greenhouse or to clip bird netting down. If all else fails, I will use some to organize my coupons while shopping! You could also use to clip seed packets together… or maybe garden gloves so they stay together! There were 36 in this pack.

#17: Small watering can. I found this on an aisle with cleaning supplies, not in gardening as you might suspect. A can this size would be perfect for children, or to keep near indoor seedlings or plants. (Incidentally, I’ve also found a neti pot works well for this purpose too!)

#18: Craft sticks. These would make excellent plant markers, and you really can’t beat 100 of them for $1. For fun, you could let the kiddos decorate them with markers or paint.

#19: Magnifying glass. The one pictured above is definitely a toy version we picked up a couple weeks ago, but I also spied a regular old magnifying glass down the stationery aisle. This would be a useful tool for keeping out in the shed or greenhouse when you’re dealing with tiny pest problems and need to inspect further.

I hope this post has got you thinking about less-expensive alternatives for your garden! Like most things in life, there are always opportunities to spend more than you need.  But there are also opportunities of spending less if you are willing to seek them out!

What other dollar store items do you think may serve a use in a garden? Do any of the ones I shared above strike your fancy? I’d love to hear from you!

]]> http://thecouponproject.com/2013/05/frugal-gardening-dollar-store.html/feed 1 http://thecouponproject.com/2013/05/old-country-buffet-voucher-deal.html http://thecouponproject.com/2013/05/old-country-buffet-voucher-deal.html#comments Fri, 17 May 2013 02:22:17 +0000 Angela Russell http://thecouponproject.com/?p=38169

My Perks, a new-to-me daily deal site has an offer than some of my local readers may be interested in! Right now, you can pay $20 and receive a $40 gift card good to the Old Country Buffet!

Please note that you will receive a gift card mailed to you; not a voucher. You can purchase up to 5 of this deal and you’ll receive your card(s) within 7 business days. There is a $1 shipping fee. You can then redeem it at one of the several Puget Sound locations OR redeem your gift card at any Old Country Buffet®, Ryan’s®, Fire Mountain®, Country Buffet® or HomeTown® Buffet across the country!

In order to get this deal, you will need to create a My Perks account (it’s pretty straightforward), and then look for the Old Country Buffet deal under Seattle. As of this posting, there are only 178 left, so I would not wait around if you’re interested!

Fine print stuff:

No expiration date. Card is a prepayment for meals and beverages available at participating Old Country Buffet®, HomeTown® Buffet, Country Buffet®, Ryan’s® and Fire Mountain® restaurants. Each time the card is used, the amount of the purchase will be deducted from the remaining balance of this card, if any, subject to additional payment for purchase that exceeds the remaining balance of this card. Please retain all receipts for your records. This card is not a credit or debit card, and cannot be used to obtain credit or cash from a participating restaurant and has no implied warranties. The unused value cannot be redeemed for cash or credit, except as required by law. This card does not expire and no dormancy fees will be charged. Lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed cards shall not be replaced and no credit shall be given. This card may not be resold by any unlicensed vendor and unauthorized resale or attempted resale is grounds for seizure and cancellation without compensation. Cards obtained through unauthorized channels will be considered void. Menu varies by day time and location.

Thanks, Thrifty NW Mom!

Today was the first opportunity I’ve had to pay a visit to the Tacoma Farmer’s Market on Broadway. My son was in school, so I just made it a date with my daughter. Here’s a tip: park at the Tacoma Dome Station (it’s free and parking spots are always plentiful) and ride the link (also free). This way you avoid the hassle of parking downtown, plus the kids think it’s special.

“Hurry, Mama, hurry!” 

I like using cash at the market, but I didn’t end up making a trip to the ATM before we left. If you stop in at the main booth in the market, you can actually buy these “coins” which can be redeemed for the vendors you’ll find there. Have you done this before? I think it’s a neat service.

I tell my daughter to smile and she gives me this. Who knows, maybe she had a career in modeling? She did not get this from me, that’s for sure.

We always have to pick up a treat (or tw0!) when we visit. My kids adore this mini donuts. We bought two dozen for $5 so we could bring some home to brother. 

And of course, we had to stop to pick some buttercups outside the Tacoma Dome Station before heading home. (At this point, we had to really hustle so they wouldn’t wilt in the car ride!)

I really didn’t need anything since we have lots of greens ready for harvesting in our garden (two kinds of lettuce, arugula, kale and bok choy to be exact!) and I stocked up on fruit and spinach at the Fred Meyer Founder’s Day Sale. So I really came for the seasonal, local eats you can’t get at your grocery store. Here’s what I ended up with:

Rhubarb, spring garlic, sorrel, and chive flowers! I particularly loved seeing the holes on the sorrel, and at one point a little bug emerging from under the leaves. It came from the Terry’s Berries stand and I so HEART them. They are an organic farm located in Puyallup and it’s always a pleasure to visit! I don’t know about you, but I’d take “bug loved” leaves over the perfect-but pesticide ridden varieties you’d find at the store.

I purposely chose things I’ve never, ever cooked with. That’s the joy of shopping at a farmer’s market… finding new flavors and treasures to keep your meals healthful and adventurous.

I’ll have to share with you what I end up doing with these! In the meantime, any ideas for cooking with sorrel, spring garlic, chive flowers, or rhubarb? Have you paid a trip to your farmer’s market lately? What do you like to get? Want more farmer’s market posts like this?

It looks like we should have another stellar coupon weekend hitting this Sunday with 2 SmartSource and 1 Red Plum inserts! Coupons and their values may well vary by region, but here are a few of the many coupons that we might look for in this Sunday’s newspaper:

• $1/1 Activia 4-pack
• $1/1 Crystal Light Drink Mix
• $0.55/1 Edge Shave Gel
• $1/1 Hidden Valley Dressing
• $1/2 La Victoria Products
• $0.55/1 Skintimate Shave Gel
• $1/2 Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce (this is on sale for $1 at Albertsons right now!)
• $0.25/1 Heinz Ketchup (rare)
• $0.50/1 Maruchan Bowl or Yakisoba (usually cheap at WinCo)
• $1/1 Star Olive Oil
• $0.75/1 Sunsweet Dried Fruit
• $0.50/1 Jolly Time Microwaveable Popcorn
• $0.50/1 Wonderful Pistachios
• $1/1 & $3/2 Banana Boat Suncare Products (excludes lip balm)
• $1/1 $ $3/2 Hawaiian Tropic Suncare Products (excludes lip balm)
• $1/1 Wisk Laundry Detergent

For an entire list of the preview coupons, please visit Sunday Coupon Preview.

News Tribune Sunday Subscription offer (Tacoma area)

I recently reported that the News Tribune has put out a new Sunday subscription offer! Please note that this is not the same terms as the one I used to promote here at the blog.

Here’s what you need to know about the new offer:

• Pay $52 for 52 weeks or $39 for 26 weeks (works out to as low as $1 per paper)
• You need to pre-pay the full amount up front
• You can buy up to 9 of this offer if you want more than one paper!
• Offer is for new TNT subscribers only – and for select zip codes only (please see this post for the exclusions!)

Yes, this is the same price you’d pay at the Dollar Store for your TNT Sunday paper, but without the hassle of having to drive there and get it! I’ve personally enjoyed a subscription to the TNT for a couple years now and it’s made a HUGE difference for my couponing just knowing that my inserts will be there on my front doorstep come Sunday! I should also mention that the TNT does include the Red Plum inserts too.

Signing up is simple. Just call The News Tribune at 1-800-289-8711 or The Olympian at 1-800-905-0296 and ask for the special you saw at The Coupon Project. If you sign up by tomorrow (Friday) 10 am, you’ll be eligible to receive this Sunday’s paper delivered (on 5/19).

Yesterday, reader Kelly wrote on The Coupon Project Facebook wall: 

Look what I snagged at my local Dollar Tree yesterday! For a buck! Love it! These won’t last long so I wanted to share with you!

Now it just so happens that I was needing to hit up my Dollar Tree for my Frugal Gardening series (stay tuned for tomorrow’s post!), so I took a look around. Sadly, I could not find any Topsy Turvy Planters. However, I did share the image on Facebook and several of you chimed in…

• “I recently bought one at Big Lots for $1.50.” – Catherine
• “They have tons of them in the Pittsburg CA dollar tree & the Petaluma CA dollar tree.” – Mary
• “Try big lots, that’s where I got mine last year for $2.” – Julie
• “Found them at the .99 cent store here in san diego california!” – Kimmie
• “I got 2 at the dollar store here in Eugene,OR.” – Nadine
• “Covington has them too and Eggies.” – Angela

If you find one of these puppies, do share where you found it! I would also love to know if anyone has actually had success growing their tomatoes this way. Personally, my tomato plants get so heavy by season’s end, I’d be afraid of having all the precious fruit drop and splat to the ground. For that reason, I’d probably be more keen on experimenting with a cherry variety than a slicer. If you’re looking for another cheap/free container idea, check out the post I shared last week on obtaining free food-grade buckets.

PS if you’re not following me yet on Facebook, you may be missing out on extra deals and tips! Make sure to check “Show in News Feed.”

]]> http://thecouponproject.com/2013/05/reader-report-topsy-turvy-spotted-at-dollar-stores-big-lots.html/feed 4 http://thecouponproject.com/2013/05/omsi-one-year-membership-as-low-as-45-groupon-offer.html http://thecouponproject.com/2013/05/omsi-one-year-membership-as-low-as-45-groupon-offer.html#comments Thu, 16 May 2013 14:49:59 +0000 Angela Russell http://thecouponproject.com/?p=38142

Right now on Groupon, you can score a pretty sweet deal on the Portland Science Museum (OMSI). There are a couple packages available:

• $45 for a 2-person, one-year membership. This package includes 2 vouchers for Omnimax movies or tours of Blue Submarine. (A value of $85!)
• $65 for a 4-person, one-year membership. This packages includes 2 guest passes. (A value of $130!)

Both packages include free parking, discounts on special exhibits, and discounts on food and Science Store merchandise. Head to Groupon to see this deal.

According to my search on the OMSI website, a general admission adult ticket is $12 and youth is $9. That means a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children) would pay a total of $42 for one visit. If you purchased this Groupon, you’d be saving money on your 2nd visit to the museum. (2 visits at regular price $84 – $65 Groupon = $19 saved on 2nd visit!)

Here is the fine print stuff regarding this Groupon offer:

Expires in 1 year. Limit 1 per person, may buy multiple as gifts. Must activate membership by 9/30/13; membership expires 12 months from activation date. Valid only for option purchased. May upgrade through OMSI. Two person membership valid only for two named adults or one named adult and one guest. Family membership valid only for two named adults and up to four children. Shipping address required upon redemption.

I’ve never been to OMSI, but I’ve heard great things and it is ranked #17 of 281 Portland Attractions on Trip Advisor. You may also wish to visit the OMSI website to learn more about the attractions, hours, and location.

This Groupon runs for 4 days, but over 1,000 have sold as of this posting and there are a limited number available. For that reason, I’d encourage you to bite sooner rather than later if you’re interested!

If you’ve been to OMSI, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks, Thrifty NW Mom!

There are a few FREE Kindle books that stood out to me today.

Gluten Free Cookbook: Gluten-free Diet and Gluten Free Recipes for your Good Health. This book was given an average 4-star rating after 14 reviews. It’s about 85 pages in length.

The Paleo Diet: The Quick & Easy Guide.  This book has an average 4.5-star rating after 30 reviews. It’s roughly 59 pages in length.

How to Embrace a Minimalist Wardrobe: making the Most out of your Closet! This short, 28-page book has received an average 4-star rating after 45 reviews. I find the concept intriguing and will be downloading this one myself!

Remember, you do NOT need to own a Kindle to take advantage of freebies like this. You can download the FREE Kindle reading software to your phone, computer, or iPad.

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!