Toy Clearance!

I have a love of saving money, couponing, and clearance hunting! I share a lot more of that on my instagram but I thought I would share a quick tip about toy clearance here on the blog today.

Every year in July Walmart and Target clearance out a ton of toys. They are looking to make room for the new toys that will be released for Christmas and they want them out of their store, ASAP! This is great news for clearance hunters because the prices drop fast. I have been to Walmart twice in the last week and from the first trip to the second the prices had dropped substantially. Many of the toys get up to 90% off, but if you see something you really want I suggest buying it at 50% or 75% since it could sell out.

On Saturday I went and stocked up on a ton of toys. Now, I know I have no idea what my daughter will be into yet. She could not care for Frozen at all, however most of the toys I've been buying will be gifted to her before she turns two. I'm guessing that up until age 2 she will be excited for any toy (I'm also hoping for the same with clothing since I've been clearance hunting for clothes for quite some time too!)

I always grab items for the other kids I buy for and do need to go back and get some more items for them as well. I love that by buying toys on clearance I can still spend the amount I want to spend on them but get them so much more for the money! (Also I buy for 4 kids who all have birthdays in December/ January so that's 8 gifts between birthdays and Christmas- clearance shopping is the way to go!)

Here's everything I picked up during my second round of shopping. The first round I picked up some Frozen barbie dolls. (Again, if my daughter has no interest in Frozen they are something I can sell at a yard sale someday- brand new in package or I can pass them on to someone else who does like Frozen)

Both of the bigger toys were over 50% off, which was great for larger toys. I love that I can give Ellie the little seahorse for Christmas this year and will save the other toys for future birthdays and Christmases. I actually picked up the puzzle because I know a ton of people who love to do puzzles and can use it as part of a gift and the LOL surprises are for some little girls who love LOL and opening surprises. 

I am planning on going back for another round because I desperately need to stock up on boy gifts for my friend Rachel's son and my new nephew Max. I find it much more exciting to buy for the girls, but there are great deals for the boys as well. 

I haven't been to look at the Target toy clearance yet, but generally the prices are higher than Walmart but you can get good deals there too. 

Do you stock up at the toy clearance sale? I know this will be great going forward when Ellie is invited to birthday parties and we need to purchase for more kids. It's not only a great way to save money, but an awesome way to be able to gift more. I love being able to give a ton of toys to my favorite kids!

Our Master Bedroom

Today I am sharing with you our bedroom! Again, as I think I said during our living room tour this is what our house looks like right now. Things will change as we update our home, especially if we turn this into our forever home, which is still up in the air!

We chose the biggest bedroom for our "master bedroom" although it is only slightly bigger than the other rooms. All of the bedrooms are quite small but we managed to fit all our bedroom furniture inside this room.

Here is the view when you enter the room...

I am still torn about curtains, I'm not sure if I want them or not. When I see a picture like this I think it looks empty and needs curtains but on a day to day basis I like the simplicity of just having the shades.

When you walk into our master bedroom you see our bed immediately which always holds Sophie's blanket and "Piggy" the stuffed animal pig that Sophie sleeps with every night.

This view is from the closet in this room. I love our Pier 1 headboard and as much as I would love to have a king sized bed someday I would be so sad to not use this headboard anymore! I laughed while looking up the headboard link because I remember Tim commenting on how I made such an expensive purchase. It's on clearance right now so definitely go check it out (it's 50% off currently!) but even when it was full price it's not as expensive as half the stuff we have to buy for the house nowadays. Oh my how things change :)

Our nightstands and both dressers are from IKEA. They have held up really well and are quite sturdy. I love that there are super deep drawers but if I could go back in time I would have purchased the white ones instead of the brown-black color. These show dust SO easily and I think the white would've been a little bit easier to hide dust.

Looking back towards the doorway you can see the closet door and our tall dresser. I love the decor on top of the dresser. I just set a few things on top and ended up loving it! The let's stay home sign has never been so relevant.

Our long dresser holds our tv and some personal care products. I also have two hampers, one for clothes and one for towels, blankets and sheets. I purchased these off Amazon and they are the XL and L size respectively. 

One more view back up the bed. Our comforter was a wedding gift and it's so soft! Our lamps were purchased at Target and are so simple but I like them that way. 

So that is our bedroom so far. Like I said, we will continue to make updates to our home so I'm sure someday you'll see this room and it will look totally different!

Couponing Week of 11/19- Target, CVS, Bath and Body Works, and Walmart

Good morning everyone!

I'm here to share my couponing deals from yesterday at a few different stores. I always love couponing the week of Black Friday because CVS in particular knocks it out of the park every year. 

Since we're already chatting about it- let's start with CVS!

I basically purchase anything that I end up getting free at CVS so here's what I picked up.

Hershey Chocolate Bar 77 cents
paid 77 cents, received 77 cents in ECBs
FREE!

 Hershey King Sized Chocolate Bar $1.88
paid $1.88, received $1.88 in ECBs
FREE!

Trolli Sour Gummies $1.99
paid $1.99, received $1.99 in ECBs
FREE!

Wet and Wild Mascara Set $4.99
paid $4.99, received $4 in ECB
99 cents!

I also used a $4 ECB from my last couponing trip.

I paid $6.30 out of pocket and received $8.64 in ECBs for my next trip, which will be later this week during the Black Friday event!


Next up a pretty lame Bath and Body Works haul...

The only deal I got at Bath and Body Works was a buy three get two free deal. I picked up I've items from the winter candy apple line. The two shower gels and two body lotions are gifts for the girls I have judging dance team tryouts and the body cream I'm keeping.

I paid $41.20 out of pocket or $8.24 per item- not a great deal but it's fine!


Next up, let's head to Walmart where I picked up quite a few items.

I picked up:

BIC Simply Solei Razor 3 pack #3.27
used $2 coupon
$1.27

Command Hooks $2.38

3 Purex Crystals $2.97 each
used buy two get one free coupon
$5.94 or $1.98 each

2 Hefty Gallon Storage Bags $1.98 each
used $1/2 coupon
$2.96 or $1.48 each
(I will also be submitting for a $1.50/2 biota credit!

3 Bags of Hershey Kisses $2.98 each

Bag of M&Ms $2.84

2 Oreo Candy Bar King Size $1.34 each
used $1/2 coupon
$1.68 or 84 cents each

I paid $28.13 out of pocket for this order.

Next up, Target!

Target was so disappointing- I had a few deals I wanted to do but couldn't find any of the products in store!

2 Strerlite Plastic Organizers $6.99 each
used 10% off Cartwheel
Paid $6.29 each

I paid $13.46 out of pocket.

Not a bad Sunday for couponing! I can't wait to head back out for some more deals! :)

What did you get couponing this week?

Fall Haul: Bath and Body Works and Target

This past Saturday I woke up knowing that it was finally the day to go buy my fall candles! I looked on the Bath and Body Works website and saw it was buy three get three free! I grabbed my 20% off coupon and headed off the to the mall. 

Of course I walked out with not one, not two, not three, but FOUR Leaves candles! I absolutely love Leaves and continue to purchase multiples year after year. I did however pick two other candles just to mix it up a little bit. Marshmallow Fireside is one I've tried before and really like. It actually works really great as a winter candle as well which is great. The final candle I chose is Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin which I also have in body lotion and shower gel.

In addition to my 20% off coupon I also had a free wallflower coupon so I also picked up a wallflower in sunset beach. I don't have a wallflower plug to use it, but I will definitely pick one up soon!

While I was at the mall I also decided to go to Target because there were a few things I wanted to pick up for my upcoming trip to Disney World!

The main item I wanted to pick up was a new bag for all my products. I needed something to hold all all my travel minis safely when we go away and I thought this bag was super cute. It's made by Sophia Joy which is a brand I've never heard of before but I think it looks beachy and I love it!
I also picked up loofas for both Tim and I (green for him since it's his favorite) and basic cotton rounds for my toner.

I decided to pick up some minis for my trip; Pantene shampoo and conditioner, Burts Bees facial wipes, Pacifica facial wipes, Pacifica deodorant wipes, EOS shave balm, Yes To Grapefruit Facial Scrub and Sensodyne Toothpaste.

The last thing I picked up is very much needed and is a wide tooth comb from Conair. I have been needing a comb to use in shower for some time now because my hair is super tangly. I'm hoping this works!

So that's it for my haul today- you can also check out my video of this haul over on the BalancingOnMyToes Youtube page!

Have a great day everybody!

Couponing Week of 6/4 CVS, Target and Bath and Body Works

I decided this week to really get back into couponing! Our stash was running a little lower then I like it to be so I've decided to start back up again. I hate paying full price for household items so that is what I prefer to focus my couponing on. 

For this particular haul I went to CVS, Target and Bath and Body Works.

Here is everything I hauled today...

Since the majority of it is from CVS we will start off with that breakdown.

Garnier Fructis Shampoo and Conditioner $7
used two $2/1 coupons ( from coupons.com or newspaper)
Paid $3 and got $3 back in ECBs 
FREE!

Xtra Laundry Detergent $1.99
Paid $1.99 and got $1 back in ECBs
99 cents

Loreal Expert $8
used $1/1 coupon (from coupons.com, I would've used 2 but my printer screwed me over!)
Paid $7 and got back $4 in ECBs
$1.50 each 

Hershey King Size Bar $1.88
Pay $1.88 and got $1 ECB back
88 cents 

Dawn Dish Soap 99 cents
used 25 cent in app coupon
75 cents

 Colgate Max Toothpaste $2.99
used $1/1 coupon from Smart Source 6/4
Paid $1.99  and got $1 ECB back 
99 cents

2 Oral B Indicator Toothbrush 2 count $4.99
Paid $9.98 and got $6 ECB back 
$3.98 

Almay Lip Balm $6.79
Almay Mascara $9.49
Use buy one Almay product get an Almay eye product for free.
Paid $6.79 and got $5 ECB back
1.79 

2 Tide Pods $3.94 each
Used (2) $2/1 from coupons.com
Paid $1.94 each

2 Gold Emblem Abound Nut Bars 99 cents each
Used $2/2 CVS coupon 
FREE!

I also used a 20% off coupon, a $1 off $6 laundry care coupon, and $8 in ECBs.

I paid $25.21 and received $21 back in ECBs for next week!


Then I headed off to Target for a quick deal

Colgate toothbrush $1.97
used $1/1 coupon from SS 6/4
97 cents

You can never have too many toothbrushes right?! :)

While I was at Target I also picked up this pretty bag...

Only $26 which is great and I really wanted a neutral crossbody bag to carry this summer. It's easier to carry a crossbody bag when you are on the go all summer!

I also headed to Bath and Body Works because I had one day left on my free item coupon.

I've never tried the Pink Cashmere scent and each time I go to Bath and Body Works and get a free item I try to pick up a new shower gel. I don't need anymore lotion that's for sure but I can never pass up free Bath and Body Works products!

So that's what I picked up this week couponing! I am going to try to do this weekly so we can stay fully stocked on items.

On Wednesday I'll be back sharing with you how I store my stockpile in our apartment- so stay tuned :)

Weekly Apartment Cleaning Routine

We're talking about a super exciting topic today you guys... cleaning!

As much as I whine and complain about cleaning once a week I absolutely love having a clean house. Since we are in an apartment currently the cleaning isn't too overwhelming but it does take me a good chunk of time every weekend.  Today I'm going to talk about the process I use to clean each week and the products I use to get my home squeaky clean. 

I always start in the back of our apartment and work my way towards the front. I've found that staying in one room and completing it before moving to the next keeps me focused. I try to move quickly and not get distracted by things that need to be organized. If I allow myself to go crazy I will keep finding new things to organized and tidy, this is just about cleaning. 

So lets get started in our bedroom!

The first thing I do every weekend is bring my laundry to the laundromat and recycling to the recycling center.  I like to get all my laundry done first so I can fold and put away all clothes and know that it is completely out of the way before I start scrubbing.

Once all the laundry is put away I make sure our bed is made with fresh sheets. Then I dust all of the furniture and vacuum the floors. Our bedroom is pretty easy to maintain and requires minimal cleaning each week because we keep it pretty simple. Remember that if you have less stuff out on your surfaces that will mean you will have less stuff to dust. 

Our second bedroom is pretty simple to clean as well, just a quick dusting of the nightstand and dresser and a vacuum of the floor and this room is clean. We mostly store paper goods in here and keep our laundry baskets in here. I won't show you the closet though because right now I think of it as my Monica closet. (Any Friends lovers out there?)

Our bathroom is pretty small so I can clean it pretty quickly. The first thing I do is spray down the entire toilet in my bathroom spray and then use toilet bowl cleaner to clean up the inside of the bowl. 

I then move onto the sink and wipe everything down with a bathroom spray and sponge. Once my sink area is complete I go back back to the toilet and finish wiping everything down. I always use paper towels for the toilet since I feel it's a little cleaner. 

I move on to the shower next and use a shower spray and sponge to wipe everything down. Once everything has been wiped down I pull everything the rug, trash can and scale out so I can vacuum and mop the floor. Once everything is dry I put everything back in and it stays clean for approximately five minutes... ;)

I do try to tidy a bit in this area in addition to cleaning. My desk area tends to collect piles pretty easily and my makeup area turns into quite a mess quickly. I try to put things away while I'm cleaning so not too much is out on the surface. I don't like to look at clutter and prefer my surfaces to be clear. After I put things away where they belong I use my multi-purpose spray and a rag to wipe down everything on both sides. Then I vacuum and mop the area so it looks squeaky clean.

Cleaning the kitchen always starts off with taking out the trash and washing the dishes. Once that's complete I clean the sink and wipe down all the counters and the stove top. At least once a week I make sure I wipe down all the burners as well. I wipe out the microwave and make sure I clean the top of it as well as underneath. I move the rug and trash can out so I can vacuum and mop the area. I make sure to include the entry way as well when I'm doing this.

My last room is my favorite room, our living room. I clear off all surfaces and then wipe everything down. Once I'm done dusting I vacuum everything, including the couch and fluff the pillows so everything is picture perfect.

Here are the tools I like to use when I clean...

Dyson Ball Multifloor Canister Vacuum

This may have been one of the best purchases I've ever made. I absolutely love my Dyson! It's lightweight, easy to move around and comes with a ton of attachments. It's also extremely easy to clean which is great because who doesn't want their cleaning tools to be clean?

Libman Mop

This is a mop I picked up in Target and it's worked wonders! I use this every week and it keeps our floors looking shiny!

Method All Purpose Spray

I love my Method All Purpose spray and lately I've been loving this Ocean Waves scent which is a limited edition. I also like the cucumber but I think I need to stock up on this Ocean Waves scent while it's out!

Dawn Dish Soap

I'm not picky with my dish soap but I do love Dawn, particularly their New Zealand scent!

Tide Pods

These make doing laundry super easy!

Bounce Dryer Sheets

These are always musts when I do our laundry.

Purex Crystals

These are a new favorite of mine and our laundry smells amazing when I use them!

Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner

I have yet to find any toilet bowl cleaner that works as well as this does. 

Method Bathroom Cleaner

This cleaner is natural and still works great!

Method Every Day Shower Spray

I use this after every shower without fail!

I'm sure I've left something out, but you guys get the idea! 

What does your cleaning routine look like? What are some of your favorite products?

Three New Things From Target

During a recent trip to Target I wandered into the beauty aisles and found two items I really wanted to try! Then I picked up a slightly different version of something I already love to give it a try. (Plus it was on clearance, so who can say no to that?!)

When I saw the Pacifica Stellar Gaze Mascara I was immediately intrigued. I have been going through different mascaras recently and one I've been using that I thought was a tried and true favorite was absolutely horrible this go-around. I will tell you more about that during my next empties video but I thought I would try a mascara from Pacifica next since I've never used one from that brand. I've used it four or five times and so far so good!

I never even knew that Target sold bath bombs until I saw this Party Bomb by da bomb fizzers. These are made by two teenage girls which is really cool and I decided to bring it home to try out. I have yet to take a bath and use this bath bomb but I am super pumped to try it out.

Lastly, I am a huge fan of Cake Batter Chapstick but could not find it anywhere! I picked up this flavor variety pack that has a few different kinds inside. After leaving Target I ended up ordering a big container of Cake Batter on Amazon but these will work as backups for me.

What beauty items have you brought home recently?

**Affiliate links used**

Weekly Couponing Wrapup (I'm Back!)

After a looooong time of not doing any couponing at all I am finally back for a Friday Weekly Couponing Wrapup!

Since you saw my Stockpile Closet on Wednesday you see now why I don't like to coupon anymore unless I am getting something for free or extremely cheap! This week I went to both Target and CVS and got some great deals at both places.

At CVS I did one small transaction at the beginning of the week where I picked up the free Just The Basics paper towels, chapstick, batteries, and lysol wipes. It wasn't a great deal but I needed all of these things so I picked them up anyways!

My great deal occurred on Wednesday...

2 Kitkats @ $1 each

1 Rescue Sleep @ $9.49

received $9.49 in ECB

Free!

6 Purex Laundry Detergents @$6.79

Buy 1 get 2 free!

Paid $13.58 for all six detergents, making them $2.26 each!

I unfortunately didn't take any pictures of my Target haul, but I picked up...

4 Johnson's Baby Powders @ $1.97 each

used 20% off Target cartwheel, making each one $1.57 each

used two $1.50/2 coupons

Paid 82 cents each!

I also picked up a few clearance deals... Sharpies for 90 cents each, and loofas and tape for just $1 in the dollar spot!

How did your couponing go this week?

I am already planning on a few deals for next week, and am starting my Christmas shopping as well. I'm usually finished with Christmas shopping by now, so I'm quite behind, whoops!

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Couponing Wrapup

I got some awesome deals this week and wanted to share them with all of you!

At Stop and Shop I used a SavingStar app to get money off my bananas. (Unfortunately I tossed my receipt, or I would tell you how much I saved)

In addition to saving money instantly at the register with SavingStar, I used Checkout 51 in order to get 50 cents back.

I also used Ibotta to get 50 cents back on the bread. 

Although, some people may think it's a pain, I think that these apps are totally worth it when all you have to do is take a picture of a receipt. 

My receipt was for $5.01, meaning that with the money I received back from Ibotta and Checkout 51, it was $4.01. Yes, it is possible to save on healthy foods!

I also made a trip to Target this week to try out the Target Cartwheel app!

Here's how this transaction broke down:

Method Toilet Bowl Cleaner $3.59

Method All Purpose Cleaner $2.69

Method Bathroom Cleaner $2.69

Method Wood Cleaner $3.59

Method Hand Soap $3.19

used 20% off on Cartwheel app, making it $2.55

Swimsuit Bottom $19.99

Milk $3.39

used 5% off Target Cartwheel, making it $3.22

on Checkout 51 applied for 50 cents back

on Ibotta applied for 50 cents back

making it $2.22!

Oscar Blandi Heat Protectant $16.10 (on clearance)

Small Basket $6.49

4 Gift Bags $1.75 each (on clearance)

2 Tissue Papers at 86 cents each (on clearance)

4 Notebooks at 75 cents each (on clearance)

Pencil set $1.38 (on clearance)

EOS shave gel $1

Decorative Bucket $3

4 Always Pads $4.19 each

used $3.50 in coupons

received a $5 Target gift card back 

making them just about $2 each!

Although I spent $95.93, I think I got a ton of great deals and a lot of things that I needed. I like picking up things like gift bags or tissue paper when they are on clearance because then I don't ever need to buy them at full price. When I saw the notebooks for 75 cents a piece I knew I had to have them-I love a good clearance deal! =)

Finally, at CVS I had an AMAZING shopping trip!

Physicians Formula blush $13.29
saved $5 instantly making it $8.29
used $7/1 CVS Redbox coupon, making it $1.29

Covergirl Foundation $10.49
used $1/1 Covergirl man. coupon, bringing it to $9.49
used $4/12 cosmetics coupon (able to use because of P.F product)
which made it $5.49
received $3 ECB back, making it $2.49 after savings.

2 Crest Pro Health Rinse 1L $6.79 each, $13.58 total.
used (2) $1/1 man coupons, bringing it to $11.58
used $2 off $10 dental CVS Redbox coupon, bringing it to $9.58
received $5 ECB back, making them $4.58 after savings, or $2.29 each

Windex Touchup Cleaner $5.29
used $1 CVS Redbox coupon, making it $4.29
used $1 man. coupon, making it $3.29

I also used $3.75 in ECB.
I also have $33.84 tracking towards the beauty club, so when I spend $16.16 more I will get a $5 ECB back which is great for not spending much on cosmetics!

I paid $18.05 out of pocket, and received $8 back in ECB for next time. I think that overall this was an amazing trip and I'm very proud of my progress as a couponer! I have big plans for next week =)

Did you coupon this week? What deals did you do?