According to WalletPop, McDonalds has postponed – and perhaps will even cancel – the free smoothie offer I shared with you last week.
The reasoning? They want to make sure they have adequate stock on hand so they don’t end up like KFC did last year during their free grilled chicken promotion.
McDonalds, really? Seriously? You are THE largest fast food chain in the world…I should hope you have some idea about proper inventory levels at this point in the game. And I should seriously hope your Marketing Team will think a little harder next time before advertising a poorly-hatched promotion.
Buh duh duh duh duh…NOT lovin’ it.
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It occurred to me the other day how rarely I visit a mall.
If I go now, it’s usually to visit Target, or less frequently a department store, such as Macy’s. On a rainy day, I may take my kids to the play place. Or if I have a coupon for Bath & Body Works I may head to that particular store. But gone are the days of wandering the mall’s wings, scouring stores for the perfect pair of jeans or gift for mom’s birthday.
My husband and I – on a whim after missing our freeway exit – decided to visit a mall neither of us had been to in years. It was on a weekend. The place was dead. We were discussing this again last night and it occurred to me that a couple key things have changed since my mall shopping days. Here are my thoughts, and I’m curious to hear yours, too.
Amazon. Not just Amazon per se, but online retail in general. Making purchases online can be smart for many reasons. It’s convenient, you get a good variety of products, you can price compare, and in most cases, it’s extremely secure. With the rise of cash back sites such as Ebates and coupon sites such as Retailmenot, you can still take advantage of discounts.
Recession. With many people out of work and finances tight, retailers – particularly small ones – have been hit hard. Who wants to shop when you’re struggling to pay a mortgage?
Target. My husband smartly pointed out that one-stop box stores such as Target (and that other store I don’t talk about here!) have likely shifted consumer shopping trends. Think about it: instead of going to store after store, you can get everything from clothing, toys, food, and personal items from one place.
I decided to do a little Googling to see if my theory had any basis in truth.
A Wall Street Journal article from last year confirms that many malls are in trouble. In fact, they point out that overall, US malls have seen declines in consumer spending and tenant rents over the past few years. However, these changes have been occurring gradually over time. So you can’t up and blame it entirely on the recession. The article also offered this perspective:
For towns and cities that are home to dying malls, the fallout can be devastating. Malls hire hundreds of workers and are significant contributors to the local tax base. In suburbs and small towns, malls often are the only major public spaces and the safest venues for teenagers to shop, hang out and seek part-time work.
Last week, Bloomberg reported that shopping center vacancies are at their all time highs. Not a good sign for retailers. And maybe a sign it’s time to shift their approach in reaching the next generation of shoppers.
What do you think? Is the American Mall a Ghost Town (or on its way to becoming one)? Has your mall shopping changed at all? What do you think malls need to do to stay relevant (if anything)?Photo credit Kimberlee Kessler
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Since I’ve recently posted deals that involve Kellogg’s cereal, I thought I’d alert you that Kellogg’s has announced a voluntary recall of some of its cereals.
Please check your pantries for Apple Jacks, Corn Pops, Froot Loops, or Honey Smacks. According to Kellogg’s, “Only products with the letters “KN” following the Better If Used Before Date are included in the recall.”
In case you’re wondering, the recall is due to cereals packaged in white foil bags having an off-flavor and smell.
To get a replacement coupon or to have your questions answered, you can call Kellogg’s at 1-888-801-4163. For more information, see Kellogg’s Consumer Alert page.
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I had such a fun time last night at The Tacoma News Tribune teaching on how to save big using coupons! Everyone was so friendly and attentive – a good audience! Remember, it’s not too late to get in on the News Tribune/Olympian offer I shared about last night!
Whether you made the class or not, I wanted to make available the class handout I used last night. While this doesn’t cover everything I mentioned, it gives you the general format of topics I covered. If you are a couponer, it might be a good tool you could use to help others learn how to coupon too.
TNT_PresentationHandout
There were a few resources I mentioned during the course of the class I want to share with you. Even if you didn’t attend, you might be interested to know about these:
In my sidebar, you’ll see the logos for Rite Aid, Walgreens, Albertsons, and Fred Meyer. Click on them to find deals I’ve written about at those stores. You’ll notice I’m due for a new Albertsons post – that’s coming tonight!
To make sure you don’t miss a deal, subscribe to my blog (I’ve included a handy form for you below!) and follow me on Facebook. I have some fun new features I’ll be adding to this site soon, so stay tuned and check back often.
Welcome to the wonderful world of couponing and welcome to The Coupon Project! Glad to have you here!
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Well, the day is here and truth be told…I’m nervous! But I’m also incredibly excited!
In just a couple hours I’ll be headed off to The Tacoma News Tribune to get ready for my 2-hour couponing seminar. As a reminder, this event is FREE to attend. And please know there is still plenty of room, and we’d love to have you! (You can see the full scoop HERE.) And do be sure to check out the awesome multiple Sunday subscription deal for the News Tribune/Olympian! If you attend, I hope you’ll come introduce yourself at the end of the class; it would be great to meet some of you!
Can’t make it? I’m going to be putting up some of my handout materials online later tonight or early tomorrow for you to enjoy.
I’ll be off the computer for the rest of today, but I’ll be sure to check back in later for Albertsons deals. Looks like there might be a ConAgra promotion happening this week.
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When I made my special coupon class announcement last week, I hinted there was also a pretty terrific subscription offer I’d be sharing too.
Before I tell you the details, I want you to know that I personally contacted The News Tribune about this a couple months ago now. I wanted to see if they could work with me to help put together an awesome offer for couponers. And they were quick to oblige! Ready for the deal?
Sunday Paper Deal
This offer is good for the Sunday paper ONLY for either the News Tribune or Olympian. The cost includes delivery to your door each Sunday for 26 weeks (6 months).
Prepayment Pricing
Prepayment is required for this offer. Check, debit or credit card are accepted. Each Sunday paper will work out to just $1, which is 50% off what you’d pay in the store!
3 Copies ($1.00 x 3 copies x 26 weeks) = $78.00
4 Copies ($1.00 x 4 copies x 26 weeks) = $104.00
5 Copies ($1.00 x 5 copies x26 weeks) = $130.00
6 copies ($1.00 x 6 copies x 26 weeks) = $156.00
EZ-Pay Pricing
EZ-pay payments are deducted from your checking, debit, or credit card account each month. You’ll just need to designate to have the deduction made on 5th, 15th, or 25th of each month. This option will work out slightly less than prepay because you’re paying based on the month, not the number of papers (some months are 4 weeks, others are 5 based on their financial calendar).
3 Copies ($4.33 per month x 3 copies x 6 months) = $77.94
4 Copies ($4.33 per month x 4 copies x 6 months) = $103.92
5 Copies ($4.33 per month x 5 copies x 6 months) = $129.90
6 copies ($4.33 per month x 6 copies x 6 months) = $155.88
So…why do I think this is a good deal? Here are a few reasons.
- You’re paying half of what you’d pay in the stores. That’s the most obvious one, isn’t it?
- You’ll save on gas and time. No more driving to the store – save your gas, save your time.
- Guarantee your coupons will actually be there! Have you ever found Sunday papers rifled through and maybe even discovered coupon inserts or Albertsons doublers have been ripped out? Having your paper delivered is a way to prevent coupon theft!
- These puppies pay for themselves. If you follow my blog on a regular basis, you know that inserts provide are a staple coupon source for the avid couponer! Use just ONE $1 off coupon per paper and you’ve broken even.
- This ain’t like past $26 deals. Remember the deals you’ll sometimes see where you can get 1 paper for 26 weeks for $26? Well, I’ve tried calling in the past to see if I could get that same deal on multiple Sunday papers and was given a no-go. Finally, a deal for couponers!
Ready to get started with this deal? Here’s what to do.
You’ll need to call Customer Service. Please ask for the deal that you saw on The Coupon Project. Then, let them know which option you’d like and how many subscriptions. Ready for your digits? The News Tribune 1-800-289-8711 or The Olympian 1-800-905-0296.
Please note: The News Tribune contains the three major coupon inserts: the SmartSource, Red Plum, and P&G. This is my favorite paper for getting coupons. The Olympian is a “sister” paper to the Tribune, and because I don’t live in the Olympia area, I can’t speak to the selection of coupons it may have available.
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Did anyone catch that yours truly was in a special flyer in last Sunday's Tacoma News Tribune?
The flyer was a special advertisement: today only, you can score 26 Sunday papers for $26 total! This is a great way to get the paper for just $1! Considering this paper is normally $2, this is like getting the paper half off – plus they'll deliver it to your door. It's a great way to save on gas and rest assured that your coupons will be safe inside!
This offer is good through today ONLY, so you'll want to call 1-800-289-8711.
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I mentioned briefly in my
Fred Meyer post yesterday that I'd noticed a certain variety of El Monterey Tornados had been recalled at my store. Since we're in the thick of National Frozen Food Month, I thought I better make sure none of my readers have these items in their freezer:
El Monterey Tornados Ranchero
Jose Ole Shredded Steak Corn Tacquitos
These items have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella, and if you have them in your freezer please call the retailer you purchased them from to inquire about a refund.
See more items and information here.
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I wanted to remind everyone that at 7 pm PST and then again at 9 pm PST, I'll be a guest on 24/7 Moms live webcast! These webcasts are free to watch, directly from your computer. This afternoon, I've been attempting to figure out how to embed the code to have you watch the show from my site…and I'm having issues.
You can for sure watch it directly at 24/7 Moms, and if I'm able in time, I'll be sure to embed the webcast here. As I mentioned yesterday, you'll be able to log in to the show and chat with your questions and comments. I'll be taking reader questions at the end of the show, plus there will be giveaways and lots of other fun stuff! If I'm a little MIA the rest of the day, know that it's because I'm preparing for this show!
Be sure to tune in!
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I'm excited to share that tomorrow at 7pm PST, I will be a guest on 24/7 Moms LIVE webcast! I'll be talking about Couponing 101! It's completely free to participate, and you can even log in and chat with other moms while the show is on live. At the end, there will be some fabulous giveaways, and I'll be answering questions from viewers.
Be sure to check out 24/7 Moms for more about the webcast, how it works, and what you can expect! Tomorrow, I'll remind you and embed the video to The Coupon Project so you can tune in and watch me…right from my blog!
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