helpful sites, part 1

I don't know if you've notice, but around this wonderful thing called the internet, there are many useful tools.  Yes, you can use this wonderful world wide web for more than blogs and Facebook, boys and girls!  I have been looking at lots of them, and listening to my friends rave about this site or that tool.  Some of them I think could be helpful to me, but I have to be willing to invest time up front to get them up and running.  Others I just think, "eh....not for me".  Some are quick and easy to use.  I'm going to share a few that I've heard of, used and like or think have potential.

First of all, I'm no 'extreme couponer', but I am trying to take a few minutes extra to snag coupons and use them where I can.  I am not to the point of making my list around my coupons, but I am trying to spend some more time looking at store circulars, shop the sales, and if there's coupons that line up with those, then great!!  There are some websites out there that do a lot of this work for you.  For the Mommas is one such site, for the stores specifically in my area.  I found her site through another one, called The Frugal Map (brought to you by Bargain Brianna which is another 'deal' blog I frequent).

This site lets you click on your state, and then directs you to blogs that post store savings in your area. 

For the Mommas lets me choose the grocery store(s) in my area that I shop, and lets me know what great deals they are running and provides a link to print off coupons that line up with the sales.  Amazing - she does all the work for me!  Including directing me right to the coupon, which is through sites like Coupons.com, Red Plum and Smart Source Coupons.  No more searching through pages and pages of coupons...I can click to these sits, quickly scan the coupons, check off the ones I want and print ONLY those coupons!  Quick and easy...now THAT appeals to me.  (You will have download something to be able to print the coupons, but I have used at least 2 different sites and haven't had any problems.  And the fact that they are endorsed on so many 'frugal mom' blogs gives me more confidence in them as well.  But, of course, as with downloading anything, please use your own judgement.  And THAT my friends is called a CYA disclaimer!)  ;) 

 

For the Mommas also lets me create my shopping list right there from the site!  All I have to do is click on the deals I want, and it automatically adds it to my list.  Then, when I'm through with the deals, there is a place for me just to add individual items that I want, and even any notes I want to make on my list!  Easy peasy!!  Plus, I just really love that it keeps it all local, so I'm not seeing deals from Food Lion or Kroger...neither of which exist in my little patch of this country!  

If you're not into couponing, but still like to know about weekly sales, I have found that most stores post their circulars online, and many of those have an automated list maker as well!  Definitely worth checking out, and saves time too.

Well now, this particular post got a bit longer than I anticipated!  So what I'm gonna do is just break up my site reviews into multiple posts, K?  I don't want ya fallin' asleep on me and....well, let's be honest, it's called a hook....I gotta keep ya comin' back somehow!!