What "Essentials" Am I Supposedly Missing?

I was with some girlfriends the other day and us, being curious like we are, went through each others bags. Its something us ladies ALWAYS wonder, "...whats in her bag". Or maybe its just me, lol. So apparently one of my friends came to the conclusion that my bag is missing the "essentials". Unfortunately, we didn't have much time to spend together and had to go our separate ways so she never clarified. What exactly are the "essentials" women have in their bags? I know she has some toothpaste and a toothbrush, countless tampons and other bits. I, on the other hand, had none of those.

You can see the picture above and see what I have in my bag. I have my Bora Bora Chapstick and Hard Candy Plumping Serum Lip Gloss from previous reviews that I love. Also have a travel-size Vaseline lotion, Neutrogena eyeliner in black, 2 CoBigelow lip gloss, my sharpie marker, travel-size Herbal Essences sculpting gel, Shout wipes, Visine eye drops, Revlon kit, a wad of my blog business cards, my coupon holder, my Pico Solar Charger, my Tokidoki notebook, keys, my Samsung PL120 camera, Tokidoki earphones, my iPhone 4 with my Tokidoki GelaSkin, my Tokidoki bag itself AND my wallet (which has my old school IDs [I have no CA State ID], my debit cards [I have no credit cards], Social Security Card, CVS- Walgreens- PetSmart- GameStop and Starbucks cards and money). My wallet is what I consider my "essentials".

I think my friend is crazy! I don't need toothpaste and a tooth brush in my bag, I have them at my home. Maybe its the lack of make-up, all I had in my bag was an E.L.F. Mineral Concealer w/ SPF 15 in light and my countless eyeliners. I don't wear much so I don't carry much. I don't understand, lol.

So ladies, what exactly am I missing?

Exclusive Twitter Giveaway - John Frieda Precision Foam Color Ends 8/15

Here is a fun Twitter-exclusive giveaway over the weekend. Follow us @SSBucks on twitter and tweet us your DREAM hair color! :) Giveaway ends Monday, August 15 @ 11:59PM PST. All current and new Twitter followers are eligible! 

One (1) Winner will receive:

★(1) FREE John Frieda Precision Foam Hair Color Box, (up to $12.99) Manufacturer Coupon, expires September 30, 2011.

TO ENTER:

★(Required) Follow @SSBucks on Twitter and tweet: 

 Dear @SSBucks - My DREAM hair color is ____. I want to win a FREE #JohnFrieda Foam Hair Color box! Ends 8/15! http://tiny.cc/96rbo

Be sure to replace the ___ with YOUR dream hair color :) I have Black (top) and Blonde (bottom) hair, so you can imagine how much hair color and bleach I go through :) Have you ever wanted bright red, blue, or even green hair but were to afraid to go all out? Let us know! Open to U.S. Residents 18+ only. Daily tweets welcomed.

No need to leave a link to your tweet here, this is a Twitter-only giveaway.

Target Weekly Ad for 8/14 - 8/20

Here is a partial list of deals for the Target Weekly Ad of August 14, 2011 I don't list the whole ad, just Grocery, Pets, Beauty, Household. Mainly, only sections that contains items that can be matched with coupons. Remember, Ads may vary, I'm in the Los Angeles Area in Southern California.

New to couponing at Target? Check out the Target 101 starter post for info and policies.

Groceries:

Fresh Yellow Peaches (4pk.) $1.49

Taylor Farms Organic Baby Spring Mix or Spinach (5oz.) 2 for $7

Sutton & Dodge Sirloin Steak $5.99/lb.

Market Pantry Frozen, Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (2.5lb.) $5.99

Weight Watchers Smart Ones $1.79

-$2/8 Weight Watchers Smart Ones (printable)
-$1/5 Weight Watchers Smart Ones Products, any (printable)
-$4/10 Weight Watchers Smart Ones Products (printable)

Market Pantry Lunchmeat (7 or 8oz.) $2.89

-$1/2 Market Pantry Cheese 6oz+ AND Lunch Meat 7-9 oz Target Q x9/10

Red Baron 12" Frozen Pizza 3 for $10

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Sandwich Bread (10oz.) $2.99

Grade A Large Eggs (1doz.) $1.39

Market Pantry Shredded or Block Cheese (6 or 8oz.) $2.29 

-$1/2 Market Pantry Cheese 6oz+ AND Lunch Meat 7-9 oz Target Q x9/10

FREE Chewy Quaker Granola Bars (6 or 8ct.) wyb Any (4) Listed Below:

•Chewy Quaker Granola Bars (6 or 8ct.) 4 for $9

-$1/2 Quaker Chewy Granola Bars 8 count+ Target Q x9/3

Breyers (1.5qt.) or Ben & Jerry (1pt.) Ice Cream $3.25

Frito-Lay Chips Multipacks (20-23ct.) $5.49

General Mills Cereal (9 or 14oz.) 2 for $5

-$1/2 General Mills Cereals 8/14 SS x9/24
-$1/3 Various General Mills Big G Cereals 8/7 GM

Yoplait Kids' Multipack Yogurt 2 for $4

-$0.75/2 Yoplait Go-Gurt, Kids Cups, Trix Multipk or Splitz 8/7 GM

Yoplait Yogurt Cups (4 or 6oz.) 10 for $6

-$1/10 Yoplait Yogurt Cups 8/7 GM

Kit Kat Candy Bars, Snack-Size (10.78oz.) 2 for $6

-$1/3 Reese’s or Kit Kat Snack Size 9-22 oz 8/14 SS x9/18

FREE Snapple Bottle (64oz.) wyb Any (3) 12pk. Cans Listed Below:

•Canada Dry, A&W, 7UP, Sunkist Cans (12pk.) $3.33

Starbucks Coffee (11 or 12oz.) $8.49 

-$3/2 Starbucks Packaged Coffee, any 11, 12 or 20 oz 7/17 SS

Pepsi Products; Cans (12pk.) or Bottles (6pk.) 4 for $12

Pepsi Products; Bottles (2-liter) 4 for $5

Market Pantry Apple Juice (64oz.) or Powder Drink Mix (10ct.) $1.75

-$1/2 Market Pantry Juice 46-oz. or larger Target Q x9/10

Beauty / Health:

John Frieda Shampoo or Conditioner (8.45 - 10oz.) 2 for $10

TRESemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo (5.7oz.) $3.79

-$1/1 Tresemme Shampoo or Conditioner ETS 7/31 RP

Dial Body Wash (21 or 24oz.) or Bars (10pk.) $4.49

-$0.35/1 Dial Bar or Liquid Hand Soap 8/7 RP x8/30

Speed Stick, Mitchum or Ban Deodorant $1.99

-$0.50/1 Speed Stick or Lady Speed Stick ETS 7/24 SS

-B1G1 Ban Solid 8/7 SS
-$0.40/1 Ban Product 1.5 oz+ 8/7 SS
-$1/1 Ban Solid 8/7 SS

FREE $5 Gift Card wyb Any (2) Schick Items Listed Below:

•Schick Quattro for Women or Hydro 5 $6.49

-$2/1 Schick Intuition or Quattro for Women Razor or Refill 7/24 SS

-$2/1 Schick Hydro Razor, any 8/7 SS 

Offermatic - Get Paid To Shop & GREAT Offers + $5 Credit When You Sign Up!

 

I recently came across Offermatic.com and LOVE IT! Offermatic is a bit like Ebates, but unlike Ebates, you don't have to wait for 3 months to get your money back. Offermatic has your cash back in your card within 7 days! How it works is you sign up, and upon signing up as a new customer, you have the choice of a FREE $5  Automatic Rebate of your choice: Target, iTunes, Gas Card, Nordstrom or Amazon.

After signing up and choosing the $5 Automatic Rebate of your choice, you load the offer on your card. You then proceed to add your credit/debit card, which Offermatic uses to send you specialized offers in the future based on your purchase. I know, adding this information is sensitive, but Offermatic has bank-grade encryption, is TRUSTe verified. You can read more about their security features on their website. Offermatic savings are paid directly to your card. No coupons to clip, no rebate forms to fill out, no codes to deal with -- just load the offer and shop with your card as you normally would, that is the best part of it all!

After signing up and loading my PayPal card on Offermatic I got a $5 Subway offer, and $10 Kmart offer to load based on my previous purchases. I already have a soft spot in my heart for this service :)

Get your $5 Automatic Rebate @ Offermatic! Click Here To Sign Up! :)

Shopping For Back To School & An Opportunity To Give Back w/ Wave For Change

Back to school is something you learn to love, hate, or live with. I chose to love it. Sure, getting to know your new teachers and classmates can be stressful for us all and can cause breakouts for some. Now, for us college students, living in shared dorms can be the most stressful of all. You know, being stuck in a small room with someone you've never met before can bring out some huge nerves too. Not knowing whether you two will get along the whole semester adds a lot of stress to us, but Neutrogena has some great products to help us out just in time for back to school!

For example, do you break out when your stressed? No problem, Neutrogena Complete Acne Treatment has the power to control your acne and significantly reduce signs of it in 4 days. That includes breakouts, blackheads, acne redness and inflammation. Whats even better is that the formula includes SPF 15 to help shield you from the evil sun rays! Want to prevent breakouts before school? Try the Neutrogena Wave and Wave Sonic Spinning Power-Cleaners. These vibrating power cleansers leave your skin soft and smooth after just 1 use, the latter is clinically proven to clean up to 50x better than regular cleaning! I love exfoliating my skin, so these products are a must have! Check out Neutrogena Back to School Savings on their Acne Stress Control and other products

One of my favorite Neutrogena products are the scrubs, in example, the Acne Stress Control Power-Clear Scrub. Why? Because it helps prevent breakouts and I prefer scrubs over cream-like face products. I have been stressed lately, not just about back to school, but my upcoming trip in December and so many other things. I usually get a lot of blemishes on my face, and are quite noticeable as I'm fairly light complected. Its a hassle sometimes putting on concealer and foundation just to cover them. I prefer to be fresh and not wear much makeup when going out for every-day activities. Usually some eyeliner and chaptstick does the trick, but the stress shows on my face, literally. I'm glad I found the Acne Stress control line for Neutrogena. It allows me to get rid of, and prevent, breakouts that would appear after the blemishes.

Your shopping list for back to school list should definitely include some of these great Neutrogena products! The wonderful thing about Neutrogena is that for every Neutrogena Acne, Facial Cleansing, or Cosmetic product you  purchase AND register online from July through August, Neutrogena "WaveChange" will donate $1 per product to GlobalGiving, up to $250,000! So you can de-stress and help the less fortunate :)

Learn More:

Neutrogena’s Acne Stress Control products and Wave for Change campaign with Global Giving

Disclaimer: I am participating in a blogging program from Neutrogena and Latina Bloggers Connect. This post makes me eligible to win a compensation, all thoughts and opinions provided are strictly my own.

My 8/9 Target Shopping Round-Up (Saved 90%)

(Click To View Larger Pic)

I haven't been on a shopping trip for a couple weeks! Unbelievable! I've been on a hunt for some good travel items to get so we can stock up for our month-long trip in December. The Tide packets are great to have over there, and travel size Degree deodorants will be great to take as carry-ons for the guys. Only item I used no coupon for were the Hefty Travel-Size bags which were $0.99, so no problem there. Found the BIC 10+4 ct. razors for $0.79 after coupon, great price! I need to head to ebay and buy some more of those Qs. Great stock-up price to take to our family in Nicaragua on our trip! Had the BIGI Olay and Satin Shave gel beep, but cashier pushed them through. No beeps on any other coupons for the travel size items:) My trip in one transaction:

•Bought (5) Revlon Nail Clippers - $1.24 each 

-Used (3) $5/2 Target Catalina

•Bought (1) Revlon Beauty Tools Kit - $3.99
•Bought (2) Olay Bar, Single - $0.97
•Bought (3) Degree Deodorant, Travel-Size - $0.97
-Used (3) $1/1 Manufacturer Qs 
•Bought (3) BIC Silky Touch Disposable Razors (10+4ct.) - $2.79 
-Used (2) $2/1 Manufacturer Qs  
•Bought (2) Post Its, Super Sticky - $1
-Used (2) $1/1 Manufacturer Qs
•Bought (2) Satin Care Shave Gel - $1.89 
-Used (2) BOGO Manufacturer Qs
•Bought (1) Hefty Travel-Size Bags - $0.99
•Bought (1) Mr Clean Refill - $2.99
-Used (1) $0.75/1 Manufacturer Q
•Bought (3) Trident, Single Packs - $0.99
-Used (1) $2/3 Manufacturer Q 

Total - before coupons & sales: $36.14 | after coupons: $3.61* (before tax) 

Saved: $32.53 -or- 90%

Click Here to see my other Shopping Round-Up Trips and how much money I've saved on other trips.

WUC - Coupon Preview Wednesday For 8/14

Every Wednesday  I will be posting EARLY PREVIEWS available through (WUC) WeUseCoupons.com. I will be highlighting the best deals from (2) particular stores; CVS and Walgreens. Don't worry though, you guys will still have your Target Ad + Coupon Match-Ups too! So make sure to drop by Wednesdays and check the early previews here at Student-Saving-Bucks. I will have an individual post for each store. This main post will be used to direct you to early coupon insert previews.

This upcoming week you will have (2) Coupon Inserts. The preview(s) are already available below, so click to get a very early preview of the great coupons for this upcoming Sunday. 

Coupon Previews from WUC:

•Smart Source (SS) 8/14

•Red Plum (RP)  8/14

WUC has a pay-per-click Affiliates Program. If you're interested click here to join. New sign ups get a $3 bonus! If you do, please list "SSBucks" as your referrer and let me know you did. Thanks

WUC - CVS Early Preview + Deals for 8/14 - 8/20

CVS Deals on WUC Early preview of the CVS Ad for 8/7 w/ coupon match-ups. The full Ad scan is available. Here are a few highlighted deals from the CVS Ad  8/14 - 8/20:

M&M's Candy - 2/$1

-$1.25/3 M&M's Brand Chocolate Candies 7/10 RP

Total: $0.08 each wyb (6) after coupons

Air Wick Freshmatic Odor Detect Automatic Spray (6.17oz.) - $6.99
-$4/1 Air Wick Freshmatic Ultra Starter Kit 7/10 SS
-$4/1 Air Wick Freshmatic Ultra or Freshmatic Compact Starter Kit 8/14 SS

Total: $2.99 and coupon 

 

Pepsi 2-liter Bottles - $0.88

To view the full CVS Ad + Deals, click here

WUC - Walgreens Early Preview + Deals for 8/14- 8/20

Walgreens Deals at WUC - Early preview of Walgreens Ad for 8/14 w/ coupon match-ups. The full Ad scan is available. Here are a few highlighted deals from the Walgreens Ad for the week of 8/14 - 8/20:
 

Revlon Nail Enamel (get $3 RR) - $3.99

-$1/1 Revlon Luscious Mascara or any Color Cosmetic Product 7/17 SS

-$2/1 Revlon Cosmetics Walgreen Q 7/24 SS

Total: FREE - $2.01 Money Maker after coupons(s) and RR

Renew Life Omega Smart Super Krill Oil (60ct.) (get $10 RR) - $10

Total: FREE after RR

Aussie or Herbal Essence (6-14oz.) (get $1 RR) - $3

-$1/1 Herbal Essences or Aussie Products 8/7 RP

Total: $1.00 after coupon and RR

To view the full Walgreen Ad + Deals, click here

GIVEAWAY - (2) FREE Bailey's Coffee Creamer Coupons

I not only host giveaways, I also enter them. I do, on occasion, get lucky and win. I recently entered a giveaway for Bailey's Coffee Creamer and won, but I couldn't find their products in my local store :( Bad news for me, but good for you. I'll be giving away (2) FREE Bailey's Coffee Creamer (non-alcoholic) coupons to 1 lucky winner. They are manufacturer coupons and are good for for up to $4.99 and expire 12/31/2011.

Baileys Coffee Creamers are available in seven varieties:

• French Vanilla
• Hazelnut
• Caramel
• The Original Irish Cream
• Creme Brulee
• Toffee Almond Cream
• Chocolate

All the reviews I've read about Bailey's Coffee Creamers were positive and I was dying to try the Caramel and Toffee Almond Cream creamers, but my store doesn't seem to carry it. Oh well! Can't let them go to waste, so make sure to enter on the rafflecopter widget below. This will be a quick giveaway, so good luck to you guys :) Giveaway ends 8/18.

Want to win this Bailey's Coffee Creamer Giveaway? Click "read more..." to enter the giveaway!

Frugal Tips From College Lips! Tip #267

Are you a College Student? Are you (nearly) broke? The cost of going to College burns a hole in your pocket and that is NO fun! Thankfully, other college students have many frugal tips to share and help you save money! This next tip comes from Dusk over at DuskInChains.com (Adult Blog)

That is a GREAT tip! Its not only a healthier options, its a cheap (and tastier) alternative. I do this with apples and freeze pineapples and take them in a handy baggie along with some string cheese. I LOVE munching on frozen fruit, especially pineapples, so refreshing! Tasty. Cheap.

Are you a College Student with frugal tips you'd like to submit? Use the contact form. If you have a blog of your own, please send along the link so we can link to you if we choose to post your tip. :)

My Nutrisystem Weekly Weigh-In (Week #15) #NSNation

This is my 15th week on the Nutrisystem program. I have now been on the Nutrisystem program for over 3 months and have lost 27 lbs. I have 1 week left on the programs and am extremely grateful for all I've been through and learned. I have lost almost 30lbs. and am looking to lose more on my own before my trip at the end of the year. The heat has kicked up in intensity again hitting the triple-digits, and although I haven't been able to kick up my exercise , I have been eating well. I was expecting a little more weight-loss BUT I have been drinking a TON of water lately and I think that's why the number was where its at.

This weeks weight-loss was ok. I'm hoping to be down 50lb. in total by late November, and I'm sure i'll accomplish it! :) Don't forget to Check out my entire Nutrisystem Journey, my photos on Flickr or my videos on YouTube! Now its time, my weight loss for the 12th week on Nutrisystem:

Weight Loss: 

             -6.2 lbs. [5/1/11]    -0.8 lbs. [6/26/11]
             -3.1 lbs. [5/8/11]    -0.8 lbs. [7/3/11] 
             -2.6 lbs. [5/15/11]   -0.5 lbs. [7/10/11] 
             -1.8 lbs. [5/22/11]   -0.7 lbs. [7/17/11] 
             -2.5 lbs. [5/29/11]   -0.8 lbs. [7/24/11]
             -2.6 lbs. [6/5/11]    -0.7 lbs. [7/31/11] 
             -2.3 lbs. [6/12/11]   -0.5 lbs. [8/7/11] 
             -1.1 lbs. [6/19/11]

Total: 27.1 lbs.

Nutrisystem Nation Bloggers:

I want to say HELLO to my fellow Nutrisystem Nation Bloggers! I read their blogs and their ups & downs with the system! Don't forget to check them out! Trisha @ Makeup Files, Heather @ Living On Love & Cents, Di @ Free Sample Mama, Lisa @ Mommy & Me Giveaways, Carmen @ Closer To Lucy, Sara @ Dealicious Mom, Brett @ This Mama Loves Her Bargains

Want to join me on the Nutrisystem Program? Sign up online or call 1-888-853-4689!

Disclaimer: As a part of the "Nutrisystem Nation Blogger" Program, Nutrisystem is providing their food, services and program to me free of charge in exchange for blogging about my experience. Opinions are my own and I will provide only fair and honest reviews.

Blog Hops For The Week Of August 8, 2011

Another week of Blog Hops nicely organized into a NEW convenient post :) lol. Join us, make new friends, and find new blogs! This is my 58th week! Wow! Super long time!

Make sure you guys check out the "Quick Links" on the left sidebar for the Target Weekly Ad with coupon match-ups and coupon previews (updated every Wednesday). 

Also, enter our Two (2) Bailey's Coffee Creamers Giveaway! It ENDS 8/18