Cheap Easter Candy

Yes, I know Easter isn't for more than a month, but it sure is hard to resist the delicious candy that has been on display for weeks already, isn't it?

One of my favorite Easter candies is Cadbury eggs. They're only available in early spring, so I enjoy having a few before swimsuit season.

If you're a Cadbury egg fan like I am, or perhaps a Reese's peanut butter egg devotee, you'll want to be on the lookout for a coupon worth $.50/2 that are attached to an in-store display for the candies. I found mine at convenience store FastTrac, if that helps.

This week Rite Aid has Cadbury eggs priced at 2 for $1, so with one of those coupons you can pay $.50 for two. Or use them at a grocery store that doubles and you'll get $1 off your two candies.

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.