Coinstar Bonus is Back - Redeem $40, Get $50

Every holiday season, Coinstar has blessed us with a great bonus offer worthy of mention. For every $40 in coins you redeem at a Coinstar kiosk in exchange for an e-certificate - meaning a gift card you can use online - you will receive a code for an additional $10 to spend at that merchant.

This will not work if you choose to redeem your coins for cash - only if you redeem them for an e-certificate. You can select e-certificates from companies like Amazon, iTunes, Borders and Regal Cinema, to name only a handful of those you can choose from. Turn in those coins before 12/31/10 to qualify to receive a bonus code.

Learn more here at the Coinstar website: http://www.coinstar.com/us/html/Promo4050

Free Duracell batteries at Staples

Were you among the throngs of shoppers out on Black Friday in search of bargains? Me too. Fortunately, we're seeing that the bargains haven't stopped even though Black Friday is now behind us.

Through December 4th, you can get two 20-packs of Duracell batteries for free, after rebate, at Staples. Each package costs $12.99, which will generate a Staples Rebate form at checkout. When you get home, simply follow the instructions for submitting your rebate online or for mailing it in. Either way, you'll receive $12.99 per package of batteries, up to a maximum of two.

With the holidays fast approaching, you won't want to miss this great deal! Stock up now.

Free Backpack at Staples

Free backpacks at Staples... When you buy a backpack at Staples between now and Saturday, you'll receive a print out at the register that allows you to apply for a complete rebate for your purchase. So if you buy a $30 backpack, you will receive a $30 Staples gift card in the next few weeks. Whatever you spend on your backpack (and school is just around the corner), you will get back on a gift card (so you can go back and buy all the other supplies you may need this fall).

OfficeMax Penny School Supplies

Yes, even more school supplies are up for grabs, this time at OfficeMax. For one dollar each - $1.00 - you can buy up to three of the following:

• OfficeMax Mechanical Pencil Starter Kit
• Just Basics 5-pack of Erasers
• OfficeMax 1-subject, 100-sheet notebook
• Scotch Magic Tape in Donut Dispenser
• Post-It 2x2 notes
• Liquid Paper Correction Fluid

And for $3, you can buy a ream of Boise paper.

More Inexpensive School Supplies at Kmart

Everyone seems to be rolling out the school supplies this week, maybe in the hopes that we'll also stock up on other essentials while we're in the store. Well, the great deals on school supplies at Kmart include: a 10-pack of wooden pencils, a 24-count box of Crayons, a 2-pack of Elmer's glue sticks and a 12" shatterproof ruler, each for only $.25, with a limit of four.

For $.50, you can buy a 7-piece eraser set of stretchable book covers. And for $1, you can buy a 10-count box of Crayola markers or 12-count box of Crayola colored pencils.

Free Colgate at Walgreens

There are several good deals at Walgreens this week, but the only completely free item is Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste, which is $3.49 and offers a $3.49 register rewards. That means your cost after rebate is $0, but if you can use one of the $1 Colgate coupons that are floating around, you may also make money on this deal.

Since you can earn multiple register rewards during the week, but only one per visit, you may want to make a habit of stopping into Walgreens on a regular basis this week. By Saturday, you could have quite the stockpile of toothpaste.

Just remember not to roll those register rewards; meaning, do not try and use them to buy your next tube of Colgate. Using a Colgate reward will prevent a new one from printing. So save those rewards for other visits, when you're not buying toothpaste.

Cheap School Supplies at Staples

Every year before Labor Day, Staples has typically offered a variety of school supplies at bargain prices. This year appears to be no different.

This week, through Wednesday (7/21) only, you can buy Staples school glue for $.01, as well as Bic mechanical penciles for $.25, slider pencil cases for $.25, Staples 3x5" index cards for $.25, Staples 4x6" photo paper for $.25 and HammerMill CopyPlus copy paper for $1. These are all after EasyRebates, which you complete online after your purchase to earn a rebate check within a few weeks.

There is also a coupon on the front page of Sunday's flyer offering 50% off any notebook or journal, which is a good deal, too.

Free McDonald's Smoothie or Frappe

Don't miss out on the coupon for a free McDonald's smoothie or McCafe frappe, which is attached to page 13 of today's (7/18) USA Weekend. That is the Sunday newspaper insert many papers receive; there may be one in the Parade insert, too, so be sure and check.

Free movie ticket - and more - at Walgreens

If you're a woman who uses feminine products, or have other women in your house who can use them, you'll want to take advantage of the current deal at Walgreen's. This week, when you buy three U by Kotex products for $10, you'll receive a Catalina coupon printed at the register for a free movie ticket worth $12.

While that's a great deal, you can make it an even better deal by purchasing three boxes of liners, rather than tampons. When you do, you'll receive a coupon for a free package of Always pads - for each box of liners you buy. It may also work when you purchase pads, but I didn't try it.

So for a total of $10, you'll receive three boxes of U by Kotex pantyliners, a free movie ticket and three coupons for a free package of Always pads.

Free 6-pack of Snapple

I just found a terrific rebate form at my local Tops supermarket that you'll definitely want to watch for. The rebate refunds your entire purchase price for a 6-pack of bottles of Snapple. It's not a satisfaction guarantee so you don't have to pretend to dislike it, it's just an incentive to get you to try it.

The pad of forms was on a cardboard display above a wall of 6-packs of various Snapple flavors near the front of my local Tops. I suspect this is a national promotion, so keep a watch for a new promotional display.

My purchase price was $5.99, which I will get back in 4-6 weeks.

20% off coupon at Target in Parents

Check out the June issue of Parents magazine, between pages 60 and 61, for a postcard coupon bound into the magazine worth 20% off a Merona item at Target. Merona is one of the store's clothing, shoe and accessory brands. Through July 15, 2010, you can take 20% off one Merona item at any Target.

I don't know about you, but I buy a lot of Merona basics, like long-sleeved t-shirts, turtlenecks, shorts and sandals. They're reasonably-priced to begin with but even more so at 20% off.

Happy shopping!

30% off at Kohl's with your Kohl's Charge Card

I love saving money on groceries I need every week, but when I can save a chunk of money on new clothes for my children, who fairly regularly outgrow theirs, I'm thrilled. Right now, we all have a great money-saving opportunity at Kohl's.

Between Wednesday, May 12th and Sunday, May 16th, you can save 30% off the lowest ticketed price on everything in the store or online at www.kohls.com using the promotional code SUMMER30 to trim your final bill. The catch, however, is that you have to be a Kohl's charge card holder. Personally, I got a Kohl's card specifically so I could take advantage of the 30% savings that come around fairly frequently.

And to top off those savings, for every $50 you spend during the next few days (5/12-5/17), you'll earn $10 in Kohl's Cash you can spend next week, May 17-29. (Don't miss the clearance items, which you can often buy for a couple of dollars after your 30% discount is given.)

Great news video on extreme couponing

If you missed tonight's NBC Evening News, check out this report on a master coupon user who saves about $25,000 a year after tax with coupons: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/36790277#36742032

Super Doubles at Kmart this Week

Pull out all your high value coupons - worth up to $2 - and bring them over to your local Kmart store to have them doubled. The list of participating stores is here. Use your Shop Your Way rewards card, which you can obtain free, and you can redeem up to 5 coupons at a time per day to be doubled.

That means your $1.50 coupon is worth $3 off, and your $2 coupon is worth $4. With those savings, it's probably worth driving a tad farther to get to Kmart. Super Doubles are in effect through Saturday, 4/10/10.

Try Dawn dish liquid for free

Dawn dish liquid has a new money back guarantee on its Dawn PLUS Vinegar Alternative product. Buy a bottle, print out the form, and then submit it by March 14, 2011 to qualify for a rebate of up to $2.99. Unfortunately, this offer is void in Maine. Sorry, Mainers!

Walgreens has $.29 Scotch tape

This week at Walgreens, you can buy Scotch tape in a donut-shaped dispenser for $.29. Combine this week's special price of $.79, with the Walgreens in-store coupons, with the printable $.50 Scotch tape coupons, for a total cost of $.29.

Kraft Salad Dressing Guarantee

If you've been buying the same ole, same ole salad dressing for a while, here is a chance to try a new flavor or brand at no risk. Kraft has a new taste guarantee - "If you do not believe it is our best tasting Ranch, CATALINA or Zesty Italian Dressing, we'll give you your money back (up to $3.25 by mail).

Read the details of this great offer on the mail-in form here. You'll need the form, an original, store-identified register receipt dated between 3/11/10 and 5/7/10 with the date and product price circled.

I'm checking out the ranch dressing. What will you try?

Free Nestle Crunch bar

Buy a 1.55 oz Nestle Crunch bar before March 31, 2010 and if you don't love the chocolate goodness and crunchie nuggets, submit the form at http://www.nestlecrunch.com/assets/downloads/Form.pdf and Nestle will refund up to $1.39 of your purchase price, plus $.44 for postage. It's a no-risk chocolate bar. Yum!

Stock up on Sunday newspapers

Tomorrow's newspaper is scheduled to arrive with three coupon inserts: SmartSource, Procter & Gamble and RedPlum. In total, there are more than 150 coupons in those inserts. Some shoppers are now receiving their RedPlum insert by mail, however, rather than in the Sunday paper.

One coupon I'm looking forward to clipping is $1.25 off a package of Barilla Tortellini.

Free Bruegger's Bagel

In exchange for signing up to receive promotional emails from Bruegger's, home of extremely tasty bagels, you'll receive a free bagel as a reward.

Head to www.brueggers.com and click "Sign me up" in the lower left-hand side of the page. Within a couple of minutes you'll receive a message via email with a coupon for a free bagel with cream cheese.

Freebies at Staples

Don't miss out on the free office supplies at Staples right now. When you buy up to 4 "Heavy Duty" Avery view binders, you will receive the full value in your quarterly Staples Rewards check, which can be spent at Staples. I purchased two huge binders costing $13.99 each and two smaller ones at $10.99 tonight and was assured I would be reimbursed for all at full value. What a great deal!

Also free are Pentel Hyper G pens and Scotch pop-up desk grip tape dispensers, with a limit of one.

Finally, while not completely free after rebate, you can buy up to 2 reams of Hammermill Copy Plus at a final cost of $1 each.

Watch for these Illegal Coupons

I know we all love to save big money with coupons, but if you spot a high-value coupon that you suspect may be counterfeit, it probably it.

Fortunately, there is a new list of 70 coupons that are circulating and that have been identified as counterfeit. You may want to check your stash to make sure you haven't inadvertently collected some so you can dispose of them properly.