Wow!  Its been quite a year, its been full of blessings and trials too…But, God is always faithful and wonderful, and gives us the ability to push on!  I’m excited to see what 2011 brings in my personal life and in my blog, I’m hoping for huge growth in the blog, so…if you like what you see…please share it with your friends and family. 

The last few months I’ve really felt the Lord put it on my heart to expand Save The Coupons locally, so I’ll be covering several local grocery stores in 2011 in addition to my weekly Walgreens, CVS and Walmart match-ups!  Also I will be teaching several couponing classes locally!  I feel a strong need for people to be educated about coupons.  Everywhere I go I see people who are in need, who cant  provide enough  for their families and they need more income, they need help, and I want to be the helper.  My resolution for the new year is to be the Helper, the one who finds others in need and helps pull them up and set them on their feet, the one who gives the tools and enables others to succeed!

Happy New Year Everyone and may God Bless you as much as He does me!

When you build a stockpile you want to have enough of each item to last you until the NEXT time it hits rock bottom prices…So, Ive put together this list of general “sale cycles” so that you have an idea when things go on sale.  Its actually pretty simple to figure out when certain items go on sale.  Think of the time of year and what items you generally use, what events take place, and that’s usually what your going to find on sale.  4th of July, means picnics and grilling out….holiday season means baking supplies…. get the idea?  Ive talked about how much you stockpile as being more of a personal choice, what do you feel comfortable with and how much room do you have?  Personally, I like to have a years worth of items, so when I stock up, I really stock up….  Many people keep only enough on hand to make it to the next sale cycle, generally about 12 weeks worth.  Really, if your going to stockpile, 12 weeks worth is the minimum supply you should keep on hand, that way you wont run out and have to pay full price…with a 12 week supply you should be running low on items just as they come back into the sale cycle.  Here’s my list of general sale seasons:

January: New Years, Super Bowl, Cold and Flu

• Diet foods such as  Frozen Smart Ones and Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice soups and Special K bars, 100 Calorie Packs… 
• Super Bowl Snacks such as Soda, Chips, Dips, Cheese Spreads , Crackers, Frozen Chicken Wings
• Flu Season Items like Cold and Flu Medicine, Kleenex, Vicks

February: Valentines Day, Chinese New Year

• Canned Foods such as Canned Fruit and vegetables.  Also canned meats like tuna, chicken and salmon.
• Oatmeal, Frozen Waffles, frozen pancakes, Syrup, malt o meal.
• Valentines Day items like Chocolate, candy and flowers
• Chinese Foods such as Soy Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, La Choy Pre Packaged meals

March:  Frozen Food Month, St Patrick’s Day

• Frozen Meals like Bertolli,  TGI Fridays, Marie Callendars.  Frozen Veggies and fruit. 
• Frozen breakfast items like Jimmy Deans Bowls, Waffles and Pancakes.  Frozen Pizzas. 
• St Patrick’s Day Items like Beer, Corned Beef, Sour Kraut, Cheese, Potatoes

April: Easter

• Easter Foods like Ham and Eggs also spices and gravy’s.   
• Candy and sweets…Don’t forget to check out the after Easter Clearance Sales to stock up on baskets and decorations for the following year!

May:  Memorial Day, Cinco De Mayo

• Condiments such as Mustard, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, and salad dressing.  Snacks like chips and dip.
• Picnic and Barbecue supplies like Charcoal, Paper Plates and Plastic utensils, Napkins and Paper cups.
• Mexican Foods like Salsa, tortillas, Re fried Beans, Tortilla Chips, Chilies
• Bug Spray and Insect Repellent

June: National Diary Month, 4th of July, Produce like Berries

• Dairy items, Yogurt, Cheese, Eggs, Milk
• Mid to Late June is the 4th of July items,  Hot Dogs, Hamburgers and Brats, buns, condiments and Barbque and Picnic Supplies
• Produce like Blackberries, Blueberries, Cherries and Strawberries
• Corn

July: Ice Cream, Produce and Back to School

•  Hot Dogs, Hamburgers and Brats, buns, condiments and Barbque and Picnic Supplies
• School supplies like notebooks,crayons, pencils, folders, binders…
• Squash and Zucchini, Tomatoes, Oranges

August:  Back to School, snacks and supplies

• snack items for school lunches, pop tarts, chewy bars, yogurt, pudding cups, single serve bags of chips, pre-packaged snacks and crackers
• Paper towels, Clorox wipes, Hand sanitizer, Ziploc Baggies
• Paper, notebooks, binders, pencils, crayons, sharpies
• Supplies for building a COUPON BINDER, clear page covers, tabbed dividers, binders, pencil pouches

September: Back to School, snacks and supplies, Labor Day

• snack items for school lunches, pop tarts, chewy bars, yogurt, pudding cups, single serve bags of chips, pre-packaged snacks and crackers
• More school supplies and then after Labor Day school supply Clearance!!!!

October: Candy, Lots of Candy, Fall Baking supplies

• Candy, lots of great candy deals
• Baking sales begin, Canned Pie filling, baking soda, yeast, chocolate chips, cookie mixes, cranberries
• Nuts, and squashes, fresh Pumpkins and gourds, yams

November: Baking supplies, Thanksgiving and Comfort foods

• Flour, sugar, chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, cake mixes, cookie mixes, candy corn
• Canned soup and  broth, canned vegetables and  fruits
• Thanksgiving foods like turkey, canned pumpkin, stuffing, boxed potatoes, gravy mixes, frozen rolls, frozen pie crusts & cranberry sauce, cider and spices
• Pastas and pre made sauces
• Kleenex and medicines

December: Baking supplies,Meat and New years appetizers

• Spiced Coffee Creamers, Eggnog, cider
• More baking supplies, Flour, Sugar,Cake mix, Brownie mix, Muffin mix, Breads, Pie Crusts
• Soup, broth and gravy’s
• Great prices on seafood and steaks towards the end of December for Christmas and New Years!
• finger foods, cream cheese, chicken wings, frozen snacks for New Years
• Alcohol
• Cold and Flu Medicine, Kleenex

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Yippee! Its Friday which means you can earn extra large SwagBucks!  Because its 12/31/2010 it also means today is the last day to join SwagBucks and earn an extra 30 SB (SwagBucks)!  If you join today, you can earn 60 SB!   30 SB  for joining and an extra 30 SB when you enter SwagCode JoinIn2010 when you sign up!  Check out this post for a little more SwagBucks 101!