Couponing at Whole Foods Market in Fairfield

What happened today at Whole Foods? Nothing went right--a Bad Couponing Day. Here's the first page of my list from CouponMom.com--but it didn't work very well :--( .

A special message to the openly irritated woman in back of me at the Fairfield Whole Foods Market checkout lane because I was using a few coupons….I’m glad you decided to pick another check out lane, honey! (Taken from one of my new favorite couponing books, Pick Another Checkout Lane, Honey!) 

Now, I’m the irritated one. I carefully chose a list of groceries to buy from Whole Foods using coupons and sales good through today, January 31st. I used Couponmom’s new Whole Foods sales and deals chart to create my list. So what should have cost me about $18.00, according to Couponmom’s list, really cost me $27.00. As I emailed to my co-frugal Fairfielder–today, I really hated couponing! Products on Couponmom’s list did not scan at the register as they should have, but the store won’t go by that list, they go by what sales tags they see or don’t see on the shelves. In my case, there were no tags for Garden of Eatin’ chips for $1.99 a package, there seemed to be no $1.99 Blue Diamond Almond Milk, they were out of Sambazon smoothies so I couldn’t use my printable coupon, there were no Method dishwashing soap bottles around, and there were no sales tags on Stonyfield Organic Yogurt 6 oz cups. What a mess! I was too annoyed to get rain checks, I was not up for an argument with the front customer service desk, and I just wanted to leave the store because I’m not sure what the heck happened. A Bad Couponing Day. And this, after Aimee and I praised Whole Foods and their coupon system to the coupon class at the library yesterday!

So, what am I going to do? I love Couponmom–I use the site often, and I like Whole Foods– but I’m not happy about today. (Oh, and thank you, dear Whole Foods’ check-out associate, for being so patient with me.) I’ll have to be extra careful when I go get those organic ”deals” at an otherwise expensive store.

Enough grousing and grumbling, I’m going to break open an expensive bag of Garden of Eatin chips and munch away…

~Marilyn from TFF

Trader Joe’s Accepts Coupons?

News to us! Trader Joe's accepts coupons. Trader Joe's in West Hartford, CT. Photo: Ragesoss/Wikipedia Commons Public Domain

So, ya learn something new every day.

I thought Trader Joe’s did not accept manufacturer’s coupons. It turns out…they do….?

After someone from my coupon class came up to me after the session and recommended the website, Living Rich With Coupons, I dipped into it, and lo-and-behold, match-ups for Trader Joe’s! So, the list isn’t long, because of TJ’s own products. And, it turns out there are many other sites that match up TJ with coupons, too, such as faithfulprovisions.com, forthemommas.com, and probably more local blogs, as well.

Inexpensive Homemade Furniture Polish Using Olive Oil

The ingredients to making amazing furniture polish for pennies--olive oil, vinegar, essential oils for fragrance.

A little goes a long way when it comes to making this low-cost homemade furniture polish that smells great, and shines up your wood.

I came across a furniture polish recipe I really, really like, cheap and easy to make, and all you need is a dab to buff on the furniture. To make this amazing non-toxic wood furniture polish, take a look at this recipe adapted from the Do It Gorgeously book by Sophie Uliano. I made some up in a little bowl at first just to test it out and I could not believe my eyes. So, I whipped up a small batch and used it again on the same worn table. I just love the sheen.

The lower half of my worn console table is buffed with diy polish, the upper half is not. Enlarge the photo to see the difference--it's very subtle at this size. But...in person, the sheen is so wonderful, so is the fragrance. Thank you, Sophie Uliano!

Here’s the recipe:

Mix in a bowl the following: (I make 1/2 of this recipe because you really don’t need much to polish/buff a table.)

-1 cup inexpensive olive oil (don’t use extra virgin)

-1/4 cup white vinegar

-1/4 tsp of each essential oil (I like to mix orange/tangerine with lemon which is what Sophie suggests, but you can use your favorite essential oil fragrance; also add more essential oil if you’d like. Or, if you’re out of essential oil, by all means, use a bit of lemon juice.)

-Put in a bottle (empty shampoo bottle or small glass container, that sort of thing). Use a tiny bit (dime-size dollup) on a dry rag and buff into wood.

Store the mixture covered in a cool dry place.

 Your furniture will thank you!

If you have any favorite furniture polish recipes, please let TFF know!

Coupon Giveaways at Coupon Class

If you’re from around Fairfield, CT, remember to sign up for the two Coupons 101 classes at Fairfield Woods Branch Library January 23rd and January 31st from 11-1. There are stacks and bins of excess coupons that will be distributed for free. Also note: WE ARE SETTING UP A PERMANENT COUPON EXCHANGE AT THE BRANCH LIBRARY! Ongoing source of coupons!