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At Baskin-Robbins this Wednesday (APRIL 27th), they will be holding a 31-cent scoop night from 5-10pm.  Perfect for a cheap dessert night!  I would call ahead to make sure your local store is participating.   This event has been on our calendar for a few weeks now.  What? I'm pregnant! 

What's your favorite flavor ice cream?  I'm a cookie dough or caramel fudge girl.

Diaper studies! {update, no longer available}

 This company no longer does diaper studies.  I am soo sad!

Hello!  I know this may not be relevant to everyone, but I know you have to know someone with kids in diapers.  There is a company called Arquest which wants you to sample diapers.  I have done this study 2-3 times and I just love the free diapers!  Depending on the size of your little one(s), they send 20-120 diapers for you to test and in the end of the study you get $10 as well.  As expensive as diapers are, this is so worth it!  Last time I did this study, I got Huggies, but the brand will vary and you may not even know what brand you are testing.


Interested?  Here's the info:

• If you have girls, call: 1-888-342-7372 ext. 646 (there is usually this sweet southern woman you talk to)
• If you have boys, call: 1-888-342-7372 ext. 634
• They may have openings now, but if not they will put you on a list and you will be contacted as soon as you are needed.
• You can always leave a message, but they run on normal business hours, central time

If you are interested in taking surveys, check out my post on the topic!

Going Green? Organic savings!

It seems as if everyone is "going green" these days.  The only problem is knowing what to buy or how to save money.  I try to go organic whenever possible, but for the most part the products are way above what I like to spend.  Through doing a little research I have found a few great resources for organic/green coupons. 

1. Mambo Sprouts:  Coupons available online and about 4 times a year you get a mailer to your house with more coupons.  
2. Whole Foods : We no longer have one to shop at in our area, but if you are fortunate enough to have one, check out their website!  There are great recipes AND they have a ton of coupons on their website which you can use at other stores too.  They have an email list to join which you can get coupons to print off, too.  Always check in the front of the store while visiting for more coupons, too.
3. Muir Glen: I love their fire roasted tomatoes and their coupons go great with sales. Here is a great recipe for fire roasted tomatoes that I love in the summer months for a light meal.  Make sure you make the rice, too!
4. Seventh Generation: Cleaning products have been a new venture for me, I always seem to find deals on this brand and they always have great coupons. I didn't like their diapers, but the wipes and kitchen sprays are great.  The laundry detergent is amazing, but always so expensive!  
• Green Works is another brand (by Clorox)
• Don't forget, you can also clean by using baking soda.  I know, I know...it doesn't have a pretty smell, but it works! 
5. Earth's Best: Although I made (and will make again soon enough!) a majority of my baby food, I really liked their line of products and the variety.  Although they are a bit pricier, they have a lot of sales and just sent them an email for a bunch of coupons mailed to you!  
• If you are interested in trying Earth's Best, send me an email for some free product coupons! I have 10 to give away!
6. Store brands!  You may have noticed some store brands which have organic options, like at Meijer, Copps, Target, Cub and Walmart.  With the store brands, there is a good chance there will be sales or discounts without coupons. Do some price checking though, you can sometimes get name brands cheaper with sales + a coupon!
7. Earthbound Farms:  This is hands down my favorite organic produce brand.  I always have coupons and they have great sales at most grocery stores. Sign up for their mailing list and you will get coupons.
8. Cascadian Farms: Frozen veggies, canned soups, cereal.  Always coupons available on major coupon websites.  Click the link for some!

When I was making the baby food for the girls, I was more focused on buying all organic food for them, but after research, I found I should only buy certain things organic.  Here are some quick tips:

• When you are buying fruits and veggies, just buy organic for foods that you eat while (ie: anything you eat the skin of-- apples, pears, etc).  This tip helped me a lot and saved a lot of money!  The main thing I buy organic is spinach and lettuce, since the chemical level in those items tend to be higher than bananas or something. 
• Since the summer months are coming up soon (hopefully....), check out your local farmers markets for local products.  That's the best way to get fresh produce without gardening yourself!  I will really miss the Madison one, but I've heard the Grand Rapids market is fun too.  Not sure where to go?  Check out this farmers market finder.  So helpful!
• I know that organic products are not really something you think of as being for smaller budgets or cheap.  More and more coupons and sales are out there and once you start looking, you may realize going green is cheaper than you think!!  Companies know that people's budgets are tight, so simply emailing your favorite brands (or brands you are interested in) will result in some savings. 

Do you have any tips or websites I might like?  Let me know!

How to stay organized

I thought I would re-post this for any new readers!

Everyone organizes their coupons differently.  I've tried many ways- envelopes, the "no-clip" way, etc- and I have found the small accordion binder to be the best route.  Obviously, do what is best for you!  I thought I would bring this up now that it is back-to-school season and you will find many deals on organizers.  My favorite is available in the dollar section at Target.  Whenever they go to 50% off, I stock up.  They are pretty durable, but they do need to be replaced every 6 months or so.

Check these out in fun colors at Target.  Gotta love the Dollar section!

Everyone has their own way to shop, but here is a little example of the categories I use.  By the way, I have 3 of these things.  I look like a crazy lady, Im sure!  I have one for baby, one for groceries and one for expired coupons (some stores accept them: Cub is my favorite).

The titles are bit hard to read, but there 13 different tabs to organize.  So perfect!

Here are the categories I use:  

1. Meat
2. Fridge/Dairy
3. Freezer
4. Household- Cleaning supplies, etc
5. Beauty- Makeup, body wash
6. Health- Medicine, toothpaste
7. Snacks
8. Cereal/Breakfast
9. Etc- Coffee, bread and anything else random fits here
10. Pasta/Rice
11. Store Coupons- Target or grocery coupons
12. Dressings/Condiments
13. Canned/Ethnic

Pretty basic!  This way is cheap and easy to organize!

How do you organize your coupons?  I feel like my system isn't working for me now that I have so many more coupons!

Afullcup.com- A great online resource!

Photo taken from http://www.afullcup.com

When I was new to the online world of couponing, somehow I came across this website.  Its free to join and there is a lot of information within from all across the country.  My favorite areas are the web forums, but this is a great resource for many reasons.

1. They have a coupon database.  Users submit available coupons and you can search by type: printable, Sunday insert, etc.  Sometimes if I find a new brand on sale at the grocery store, I'll search in the database for coupons.  It can be a bit confusing at first to use, but just click around a little bit to figure everything out.  For the most part I use this for printable coupons, since I already know what I have from Sunday inserts.
2. The store forums have people from all across the country asking questions and posting deals they have found.  My favorites are Target, Meijer, drug stores and Walmart, but they have tons of other stores as well.  Some forums are more active than others, so you may want to check out all of them and find your favorites.  A lot of times people find items on clearance and they will post coupons they used or free items they have found.  In many cases the prices vary by store, but I always add freebie items to my shopping list as a "look for" item.   This is how I started my stockpile of freebies. This is a great way to ask questions about coupons or shopping as well, since most of these people are hard core bargain shoppers. 
3. On the front page there is a "Hot Deals" area which has some great new online deals or new high value coupons available.

 Let me know what you think or if you have any questions about A Full Cup.  The website can be quite addicting at first, especially when you find out some great sales or deals!

Have a great day!  As always, I love followers and feedback!

Ashleigh

Why I love Aldi...

I thought I would re-post this, since I truly love Aldi that much! 


For some reason I feel Aldi has a bad reputation, but there are some really great reasons to shop there.  Their prices on produce and dairy cant be beat and their Fit n' Active brand has some great healthy products.  The only downfall is that their prices and stock is not always consistent.  When I'm grocery shopping, I tend to go there first, just in case they are out of something for the day.  Also, you have to bring your own bags or purchase them there (or find big boxes).  Here are some great products to buy at Aldi and discount prices:

1. Baking supplies: flour, sugar, vanilla, oil are always in stock and they have great prices, especially around the holidays.
2. Frozen Foods: boneless chicken breasts, frozen veggies, whole frozen chickens, fruit (great in smoothies), chicken fingers, potstickers... the list could go on.  They have a great freezer department, epecially the Fit n Active products
3. Pantry staples: rice, chicken stock (especially in the cartons), tortillas, canned beans, green chiles etc
4. Produce: seasonal produce is unpredictable, but anything in stock is always really fresh and at great prices
5. Dairy: cheese, milk, eggs, yogurt

If you aren't already a shopper, I would check it out.  If you are looking to save some money, its worth at least one trip!

Mmmm Mondays: My specialty sangria

To me, sangria is the perfect warm weather beverage.  I figured I would share this recipe now, so you can have it tucked away for a BBQ or nice summer night.  Maybe I am also secretly hoping that thinking about warm weather will bring warmth to the Midwest.  Not just a teaser day, actual spring.  Let's keep our fingers crossed!!

My sangria recipe is super easy and not very "official".  I'm not quite sure what ingredients are in "official" sangria, but I'm positive people in Spain are not using Crystal Light in their recipes.  You can make this both alcoholic or a mocktail (which I will be sipping on) and both are pretty tasty.

1. Base. I make the base and let it "marinade" for hours or days in the fridge.  It can last up to a week!  Just add more wine/juice when it gets low.
• Bottle of red wine: I usually use Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.  Don't spend a ton on this, I promise even cheap brands can taste great.  I've even used 3 buck Chuck from Trader Joes.  Get a larger bottle if you are planning on serving a lot of people
• For the mocktail: use cranberry juice, berry juice or kiwi strawberry
• Fruit: oranges, limes, strawberries, apples, grapes...anything on hand. Chop up in bite sized pieces.
• 2 packets of Crystal Light Pure in grape or berry.  (click on the link if you are confused by what I type I'm talking about).  It sounds weird, but it really helps add some flavor without tons of sugar.  Add one packet for every 3 cups of additional wine you use. 
• Combine everything in a pitcher or container and let sit in the fridge.

     2. When it's time to serve:

• Fill a glass with ice
• Pour: 2 parts base, 1 part vodka (or so...) and 1 part Diet 7up (or any lemon/lime variety).  Make sure to get some fruit in the glass!
• Top with a dash of cinnamon and a squeeze of citrus juice
• Enjoy!  Be careful though, it is pretty tasty, but strong!
• NOTE: You can add the vodka to the base.  I would add about 2 cups in with the wine. If you are serving a group, its easier to just add as serving to guarantee everyone gets equal amounts. Also, some may not want the vodka.

In the summertime, I almost always have the base ready in the fridge for any last minute occasion.  Ok, lets be honest...I make it for one of those long days after the girls go to bed. 

I hope you enjoy....let me know what you think!

This would go great with my Mock-a-mole Recipe!!

*Don't forget to VOTE FOR ME!  The contest ends April 15th! *