White Elephant Gift- My Solution

Ok so my husband's new company does a white elephant gift exchange. White elephant gifts are kinda strange because some people give true useless gag gifts and some people just give small under $10 gifts... plus as part of this whole white elephant schtick, people get to "steal" gifts from other people, so you kinda want your gift to be cool enough that someone at least considers stealing it instead of picking out a new wrapped gift. So I wanted to give something kinda cute, not totally useless and something that maybe someone might actually want.

So here's my solution: PBJ!

I decided I would put together a basket with peanut butter, jelly, bread, etc. If you don't like PBJ, you know someone who does. And if you're allergic to peanut butter or something like that, you could always donate it to charity! With the $10 limit and some rules like not wanting to get only store brands so that it didn't look too cheap and really wanting to get a sandwich keeper that's shaped like a piece of bread, here's what I ended up with:

• $.79, White Bread, Publix brand advantage buy
• $2.89, Red Crayola Sandwich Holder shaped like a piece of bread (score! it was just hanging in the Publix bread aisle!)
• 2 for $3, 16.3 oz Skippy Peanut Butter & 32oz Grape Welch's Jelly, with store coupon at Walgreen's
• $1, Plastic Kid Plates, red, set of 3, Dollar Tree
• $1, Plastic Knife, Fork & Spoon Pack, red, Dollar Tree (I really wanted just one cute knife but the plastic cutlery worked out)
• $1, Plastic Tub, white, Dollar Tree (This isn't the prettiest piece, but it was the only thing I could find at Dollar Tree that was the right size, so it'll do and could be useful)

My total: $10.14 with tax added, and then $2 extra dollars to slap a big bow on the bread & a stick it all in a giant bag to wrap it all up in (both bought at Dollar Tree). So, about $10ish. That works for me! I think it came out looking cute and hopefully, no one will dread getting it!

What do you usually give as a white elephant gift?

Great deals on Energy Star Light Bulbs!

What started as finding one coupon for my non-profit to use for Energy Star CFL light bulbs (we're trying our hardest to go green!) has spiraled into a great list of good deals. So let there be light... cheap, energy efficient light!

Until next Monday the 30th, there’s a $2 off coupon for any GE Energy Smart CFL product ONLY at Target. According to Fat Wallet, that makes them .39 a light bulb! Some Targets will only let you use one printed coupon at a time, so keep that in mind. I know I'll be at Target sometime this weekend with all the post-Thanksgiving deals, so I'll take advantage of this one!

Here's a $1.00 of 2 GE Energy Smart (or GE Reveal or GE Edison Halogen bulbs if you need other bulbs) that's a manufacturer coupon, so I think you can use it in combination with the Target store coupon. You can always try at least! I must admit I'm confused by Target coupon policies and have seen/heard/experienced totally conflicting things. Just remember to always be patient and kind!

Here's a $5 off coupon for a GE Energy Smart CFL 5 or 6 pack light bulbs. If you go to the link, you can print the coupon, then close the window and pull up the link again to print a second coupon. You can only print two coupons per computer & it expires on Jan 22nd.

Here’s a coupon for $1 off Sylvania CFL light bulbs. It expires Dec 22nd and it says any Energy Star CFL product.

Also, as an FYI, there are some coupons/rebates if you buy energy star headlights for your car. I didn’t even realize that was available, so if you find yourself needing headlights, it's definitely worth looking into!

I'm excited to be working on green initiatives at my office -please send some good thoughts for this grant request I'm writing! PLUS today is exciting since my husband & I will (hopefully!) be going to see Al Gore speak tonight. We'll see how it works out because we have reservations but we can only get there an hour early and it seems to be a "Please RSVP, but first come first served" situation. Have a happy #ecomonday!

Free Movies: Huge Fan

Have you discovered Redbox & Blockbuster Express? Y'know those boxes that rent movies in front of drug stores & grocery stores? They give a TON a free rentals so you should use them! Plus you can go online and see what movies they have at the locations by you, so you're not surprised. 

The codes are for a FREE one-night rental. You have to get it in the next day at 9PM. And if you're late, it's only $1 per night you're late. 

• Here's a free code good until 12/3 for Blockbuster Express: G29SA1. Just bring that code to a Publix (or other stores) near you that has a Blockbuster Express (search for locations here), type it in and rent a movie!
  
• Here's a free code at Redbox: DVDONME. Redbox has kiosks at Walgreens, Wal-mart, McDonald's, um almost everywhere. Here are some other codes to try that should work but your mileage may vary (YMMV): BREAKROOM, DVDATWAG (walgreens only).

Redbox also does a free movie rental the first Monday of every month and frankly there are new codes coming out all the time, so watch for them and I'll keep you posted!

OMG, it was a coupon box.

Yesterday I had the privilge of touring the Community Action Center (CAC), an awesome nonprofit serving those in need and actively working to prevent homelessness in Sandy Springs & Dunwoody. I walked through the food pantry, saw the volunteers sorting clothes, almost bought a purse in the thrift store (it was really cute and $3, but they weren't open for business) and then I SAW IT.

Sitting on a side table in the waiting room where people wait to meet one-on-one to tell of their needs and have CAC compassionately work to help them... THERE IT WAS.

It was a black plastic box marked COUPONS.

I love coupons. I have an adorable coupon box. And I love how saving $0.40 really does add up. But I don't NEED to save the $0.40. (Here's a previous post on that idea.) I am not a small step away from homelessness or already homeless like many of these people seeking assistance from CAC. If you read my We-Not-Me Wednesday posts, you know that I believe that fabulousness does not come from expensive clothes or having money, it comes from thinking of others, enjoying life and constantly doing the best you can with what you have. That's where the frugal part comes in. Just doing the best with what you have... um, and taking advantage of companies that want to give you free stuff and try to get you to buy their products! :)

I love that CAC has a coupon box, so I couldn't help myself and peeked inside. It had a few walgreens coupon pages, but not much. I thought immediately of Maslow's hierarchy of needs and realized that "using coupons" doesn't rank up there with food & shelter. These people have more important things to worry about and even though coupons save you money, you have to have money to use them. I hope & pray that sometime very soon, these people will have enough money to use and enjoy coupons like I do.

Check out http://www.ourcac.com/ for ways you can help the Community Action Center. And you hang in there and keep clipping coupons! The more you save, the more dollars you have to help others!

**In other news, I'm totally jazzed that I won two tickets to Primal Atlanta this weekend! Huge thanks to Georgia Organics (become a fan of them on facebook right now). Great food, free beer & wine and some amazing people who really care about their food & where it comes from. Can't wait!

Make this Season about Others: Notice Them!

Maybe it's the fact that I woke up feeling sick this morning and am drugged up on decongestants & already multiple cups of honey vanilla chamomile tea with lemon, but my "We-not-me" Wednesday is a little deep today.

We're embarking on the Holiday Season- seriously like 25 business days till Christmas- and there are opportunities ALL around us to make this season not about us but about others just by being aware.

Start saving coins now and notice the Salvation Army bell ringers as they start next Friday. You don't have to give money all the time (or any of the time really)- but you can ALWAYS smile & acknowledge them. As I'm running to the next store to get more Christmas things, they're braving the elements and worse, putting up with people avoiding their eyes and rushing by trying to ignore them.

Speaking of rushing around, be aware of when you are in a hurry. Why are you in a hurry? Are you just rushing through a self-imposed unrealistic to-do list? Slow down. Be aware of the customer service people. My fav question, um ever, is to ask "They keepin' you busy enough today?" Whatever their answer is, I follow up with something that includes, "Well, we appreciate you!" Now, I'm pretty sure my husband is over me asking this to literally EVERY checkout person we encounter, but I feel like I'm doing my small part to keep someone else sane- which is a community service!

If you're an agenda person, allot an extra 5 minutes to every activity this season, just to smile, chat with folks, notice a child's happiness as they pick out gifts for others, etc. It doesn't take money to be a fabulous person.

ShopText & Free Tea!

Do you have unlimited texts? Then this freebie service is for you. ShopText is using advertising in a new way- by having you respond to ads by texting them a code to get something free. It's really easy! If it's your first text to them, it'll take a few texts back and forth to get you signed up, but after that it just takes one. Here's a current deal that's cool- Text BETTY to 467467 for a FREE Betty Crocker Recipe & Coupon Booklet. 

Free Green Tea Sample from Lipton!  I am an herbal tea junkie, but I'm not huge on green tea. So, I'm excited to try it and give it a chance. I'm trying the naturally decaf honey lemon. Get your sample by clicking the Free Sample on the top right corner.

Love pets? Drink Wine!

Today's "We not me" Wednesday brings about helping others through drinking wine & shopping. LOVE IT!

There are two upcoming wine crawl events to benefit the Small Animal Rescue & Humane Society, which finds loving homes for homeless dogs in Atlanta. For just $5 in advance, you can visit 5 restaurants in Vinings on this Saturday the 14th from 1-5pm OR three on Wednesday the 18th in Midtown from 6-9pm. You'll be able to sample great wines and they'll have food specials along the way! Visit Atlantabartours.com for all the details!

I'm starting to adore how often Gap has great coupons! Save 30% at Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Gap & Banana Outlet THIS WEEKEND, Nov 12-15. As if that's not awesome enough, 5% of what you spend goes to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! Woot woot! Here's the printable coupon link.