Save $1.00 off Sun-Maid Raisin Cinnamon Swirl bread with the new Sun-Maid coupon from Websaver.ca!

Available for Mail only.

Please note that prices may vary by region. These are the prices found in my BC flyer. Click here to see the full Shoppers Drug Mart flyer online!

The best deals at Shoppers Drug Mart this week are in Bold:

Sunday & Monday Only:

Purex laundry detergent  $3.99
use the $1.00 printable
$2.99 after coupon

Week-Long Deals:

Arm & Hammer toothpaste  $1.99
use the $1.00 coupon from SmartSource
$0.99 after coupon

Special K cereal  $4.99
use the buy 2 get 1 free coupon from Websaver
3 for $9.98 after coupon

Pull-ups  $10.99
use the $2.00 printable from SmartSource (gone)
$8.99 after coupon

Royale facial tissue (6 boxes)  $3.99
use the $1.00 coupon from GoCoupons
$2.99 after coupon

Pampers Super Pack diapers  $21.99
use the $2.00 coupon from Brandsaver insert
$19.99 after coupon

Band-Aid  $3.99
use the $1.00 printable
$2.99 after coupon

Huggies Wipes  $2.99
use the $1.00 coupon from SmartSource
$1.99 after coupon

Aveeno Baby care  $6.99
use the $1.00 printable
$5.99 after coupon

Dove Color Care hair care  $4.99
use the $3.00 printable
$1.99 after coupon

Dial hand soap  2 for $5.00
use the buy 2 save $2.50 printable
2 for $2.50 after coupon

Eggs  $2.29
use the buy 2 save $1.00 coupon from Websaver
2 for $3.58 after coupon

International Delight  $3.99
use the $0.75 printable
$3.24 after coupon

V8 Fusion Smoothie  2 for $5.00
use the $1.00 printable
2 for $3.00 if you print 2 coupons

Kashi cereal  $3.99
use the $1.50 coupon from Websaver
$2.49 after coupon

Catelli pasta  2 for $4.00
use the $1.00 coupon from Facebook
2 for $2.00 if you have 2 coupons

Fruittella  2 for $5.00
use the $0.50 printable
2 for $4.00 if you print 2 coupons

Melitta Coffee  $4.99
use the $2.00 coupon from tear pads
$2.99 after coupon

Arm & Hammer laundry detergent  $4.99
use the $1.00 printable
$3.99 after coupon

Click here to see the full Real Canadian Superstore flyer online.  The best deals this week at Real Canadian Superstore (West) are in Bold:

Advil Liqui-Gels or caplets  $8.97
use the $2.00 printable
$6.97 after coupon

Tresemme hair care  $2.98
use the $1.00 printable
$1.98 after coupon

Always or Tampax  $2.97
use the $0.50 coupon from Brandsaver insert
$2.47 after coupon

Crest toothpaste  $0.97
use the $1.00 coupon from Brandsaver insert
FREE after coupon!

Oral-B toothbrush  $0.97
use the coupon from tear pads
FREE after coupon!

Maybelline Great Lash mascara  $3.97
use the $1.00 coupon from Websaver
$2.97 after coupon

Energizer Max batteries  $7.97 (+ Free $5 gas card)
use the $1.00 printable and
use the $2.00 rebate from Checkout 51
$4.97 after coupon and cash back

St. Ives facial skin care  $2.97
use the $1.00 coupon from Redplum
$1.97 after coupon

Lady Speed Stick or Speed Stick  $1.97
use the buy 2 save $2.00 printable
2 for $1.94 after coupon

Strawberries (2lbs)  $2.86

Purex bathroom tissue (24 doubles)  $9.97
use the $1.00 coupon from Websaver
$8.97 after coupon

Country Harvest bread  2 for $4.98
use the $0.75 coupon from Facebook (gone)
2 for $3.48 if you have 2 coupons

Wonder hot dog or hamburger buns  2 for $5.00
use the $0.75 coupon from Save.ca
2 for $$3.50 if you have 2 coupons

Special K cereal  $2.98
use the buy 2 get 1 free coupon from Websaver
3 for $5.96 after coupon

Healthy Choice steamers  2 for $6.00
use the buy 1 get 1 free coupon from SmartSource
2 for $3.00 after coupon

Catelli pasta $1.48
use the $1.00 coupon from Websaver
$0.48 after coupon

Listerine $4.67
use the $1.00 printable
$3.67 after coupon

Old Spice body wash  $2.97
use the $1.00 or buy 2 save $3.00 coupon from Brandsaver insert
$1.97 or 2 for $2.94 after coupon

Arm & Hammer toothpaste $1.66 
use the $1.00 coupon from SmartSource
$0.66 after coupon

Huggies Pull-ups  $14.97
use the $2.00 printable
$12.97 after coupon

Heinz Little Kids snacks  $1.97
use the $1.00 printable
$0.97 after coupon

Here is this week’s Walmart Canada Coupon Matchups for April 12 – 18, 2013.  Please note that prices may vary by region. These are the prices found in my BC flyer. Click here to see the full Walmart Canada flyer online!

The best deals at Walmart this week are in Bold:

Arm & Hammer laundry detergent (6.21L)  $8.97
use the $1.00 printable
$7.97 after coupon

Reser’s deli salads (340 – 454g) $1.97
use the $1.00 printable
$0.97 after coupon

Dr. Oetker Ristorante pizza  $3.97
use the $1.00 coupon from tear pads
$2.97 after coupon

Danone Activia yogurt tubs  2 for $7
use the $1.00 coupon (Fat free) from GoCoupons
2 for $5.00 if you have 2 coupons

Air Wick Aerosols  $3.00
use the $0.50 printable
$2.50 after coupon

Ziploc containers  2 for $8.00
use the $1.00 coupon from Websaver
2 for $6.00 if you have 2 coupons

Christie crackers  $2.00
use the $1.50 coupon (Wheat Thins) from Best Health magazine
$0.50 after coupon

Dove body wash  $3.47
use the $2.00 printable
$1.47 after coupon

ToothTunes Toothbrushes  $7.97
use the $1.50 coupon from SmartSource
$6.47 after coupon

Click here to see the full Safeway Canada flyer online.  The best deals at Safeway this week are in Bold:

Friday – Sunday Only:

• Boneless New York strip loin steaks $6 each steak
• Lucerne Large grade A eggs  2 for $4.00 (use the buy 2 save $1 coupon from Websaver)
• Pineapple whole gold  3 for $6.00
• Lucerne Ice Cream (1.89L)  2 for $5.00
• Mountain Creek Farms pure beef patties  $10
• Bakery Counter bread  3 for $4.00
• Nature’s Blend bagels  2 for $6.00
• Danseborg Havarti  $5.00
• Ivory body wash or bar soap  2 for $5.00

Week-Long Deals:

Crest toothpaste  $1.00
use the $1.00 coupon from Brandsaver insert
FREE after coupon!

Reser’s classic deli salads 2 for $5.00
use the $1.00 printable
2 for $3.00 if you have 2 coupons

Green Works cleaners  $3.00
use the $1.50 printable
$1.50 after coupon

Royale bathroom tissue  $5.99
use the $1.00 coupon from GoCoupons
$4.99 after coupon

Royale facial tissue  $5.99
use the $1.00 coupon from GoCoupons
$4.99 after coupon

Royale Ultra paper towels  $6.99
use the $0.75 coupon from GoCoupons
$6.24 after coupon

Duracell batteries  $4.00
use the $1.00 coupon from Brandsaver insert
$3.00 after coupon

Tylenol Ultra Relief (80′s)  $8.99
use the $3.00 printable
$5.99 after coupon

Tylenol Back Pain  $8.99
use the $5.00 printable
$3.99 after coupon

Vim cleaners  2 for $5.00
use the $1.00 coupon from Redplum
2 for  $3.00 if you have 2 coupons

Here is the Save On Foods Coupon Matchups for April 12 – April 18, 2013.  Click here to see the full Save On Foods flyer online.  The best deals this week are in Bold:

Rogers sugar (4kg)  $4.99

Purex bathroom tissue (12 doubles)  $5.99
use the $1.00 coupon from Websaver
$4.99 after coupon

Flat Oven Bakery pita bread  2 for $6.00
use the buy 2 save $2.00 coupon from Save.ca
2 for $4.00 after coupon

Country Harvest bread  2 for $5.00
use the $0.75 coupon from Facebook (gone)
2 for $3.50 if you have 2 coupons

Chapman’s Premium Ice Cream (2L)  $5.99
use the $5.00 coupon from the company
$0.99 after coupon

Europe’s Best frozen vegetables $2.99
use the $1.00 coupon from a magazine booklet
$1.99 after coupon

iogo yogurt (12′s)  $5.99
use the $0.75 coupon from GoCoupons
$5.24 after coupon

French’s mustard (225ml)  $1.69
use the $0.50 printable
$1.19 after coupon

Ziploc freezer bags  $2.99
use the $1.00 coupon from Websaver
$1.99 after coupon

Ziploc food containers  2 for $7.00
use the $1.00 coupon from Websaver
2 for $5.00 if you have 2 coupons

Special K cereal  2 for $8.00
use the buy 2 get 1 free coupon from Websaver
3 for $8.00 after coupon

Johnson’s baby care  $3.99
use the $1.00 printable
$2.99 after coupon

Groupon currently has a one-year subscription to Style At Home magazine for only $9.99!  The regular price for 12 issues is $19.

Click here to get today’s Groupon.

Save $0.50 off any package of Solo products with this new printable Solo coupon!

Expires December 31, 2014.

Here’s your chance to get a coupon for a free loaf of Silver Hills bread!

Simply complete their quick survey and fill in your address, then at the end a printable coupon will be available to you.

Click here to take the survey to get your free loaf!

This Saturday, earn 20x the Shoppers Optimum Points when you spend $50 or more at Shoppers Drug Mart!

Offer valid May 25, 2013 only.

More details here.

Save $2.00 off any Imodium product with the new printable Imodium coupon from the SmartSource coupon page!

Limit 2 prints per computer.

Save $2.00 off any Cascades paper product with this new printable Cascades coupon!

Expires December 31, 2013.

SmartSource.ca has a new printable coupon for $1.00 off any 1.89L So Nice soy beverage!

Click here to print your So Nice coupon from the So Nice Facebook page and SmartSource.ca.

Limit 2 prints per computer.

This post was a long time in coming since we actually did our mini kitchen reno over a year ago!  Regardless, we still learned some valuable tips to help us get the most bang for our buck that may come in handy when you set out to do some renovations.

Our main goal in our kitchen renovation on a budget was to replace the counter top.  Not only was it an awful colour (burnt orange) it was showing signs of major wear.  The other not as important aspects, were to replace the broken dishwasher and leaky tap.

Here’s what we did to stay within our $1,000 budget:

Used as much existing stuff as possible

We don’t intend on living in this condo forever so it wasn’t important to us to have that “dream” kitchen this time around.  So, since the cupboards were still in pretty great shape we opted to leave them in place.  This saved a huge chunk of money and time!  I believe new cupboards are the most expensive part of a kitchen renovation, so if you can work with what you have already, you’ll be well on your way to staying within budget!  The stove and fridge were also not an expense for us since they were both in working condition.

Price things out

It’s important to check out all your options and price things out before you get started on a project.  In our situation with the counter tops, we had a few different options:

1. Special order the counters in the arborite of our choice in the exact measurements we required and have them professionally installed.
2. Purchase premade counters from the shelf at Home Depot, then have the counters cut to our specifications and install them ourselves
3. Purchase plywood, glue the arborite on top, then install ourselves.

In the end we opted for the second option because this was the most cost effective and time efficient option in our situation since my Dad and my husband can be pretty handy.  We chose the arborite pattern that appealed to us the most then purchased the lengths we needed according to our measurements.

Do it yourself

In almost every situation, opting to do it yourself is the way to go if you want to save some change.  Since my Dad and my husband are quite handy and are good at figuring things out, this was obvious to us.   A couple of times they had to do some Google searches to figure things out, but not only was the reno a success, I think they had fun too.

Hire professional services when necessary

Since we decided to buy premade counters, we were left with some angles needing to be cut into our long rectangular counter tops.  Rather than attempting to do this ourselves, we thought it wise to pay a small price to have the counters cut with the proper saw at a local business.  The possibility of ruining the counter tops (thus having to purchase them again) was enough to convince us to not do this step ourselves.

Shop around

On our list to purchase was a dishwasher, a tap, a sink and counter tops.  We shopped around at Rona, The Home Depot and some local hardware stores and decided that The Home Depot had the best options and prices for us.  Except the dishwasher.  We bought that from a local furniture store.  Even though we bought most of our stuff from one store, it was still worth it to see the other options available to us.

Search for clearance items

I decided I wanted a really basic (read: cheap) kitchen tap.  I wanted to pay less than $100 since I knew I didn’t want to sink money into a home we wouldn’t be staying in forever.  There were a few options but none of them were really jumping out at me.  They seemed very poorly made and I was afraid we’d end up replacing it again.  Low and behold, my husband spotted a really nice name brand tap on clearance for $90 ($100 off!).  Once he pointed it out I made up my mind and bought that one.  Long story short, watch for those bight coloured clearance stickers!

Ask for a discount

When it came time to purchase the dishwasher, we were on the hunt for a basic white dishwasher.  We found a great one on sale at a local furniture store.  Turns out, only the floor model was left.  So I asked for a discount to make up for any wear and tear it may have received from others looking at it.  The sales associate obliged!  I learned that day it never hurts to ask for a discount!

A year and a half later, I’m still commenting to my husband about the spectacular counters he installed for me and the amazing, unleaky tap he found on clearance.   With all the tips I listed above, we were able to update our little kitchen for about $1,000.  While the results aren’t spectacular, I’m happy to have a more updated counter top and functioning appliances!

Have you got any tips for saving money on a renovation?

Be the first to review any company on HomeStars to receive either a Free $10 Indigo or Amazon.ca gift card!

Here are some details:

Have you hired a contractor that no one is talking about on HomeStars yet? Share your story, good or bad, and we will send you a free gift.

Choose between $10 Indigo OR $10 Amazon.ca gift card as our thank you for sharing with your community.

Thanks, Kris!

Share your Beauty Confession over at the Jergens or John Frieda Facebook page to receive a FREE John Frieda and Jergens Glow pack!

The freebie offer is open to the first 2500 entrants per Facebook page, per week (a total of 5000 kits available each week). Giveaways will go live at noon EST for 3 weeks and will run until all kits are gone.

In 4 to 6 weeks, you will be receiving a special limited Glow Pack sample containing samples of NEW No Odour Jergens® Natural Glow™ 3 DAYS TO GLOW™ Moisturizer, Jergens® Natural Glow™ +FIRMING Daily Moisturizer and John Frieda® Sheer Blonde® Go Blonder Shampoo and Conditioner, to kick off your summer glow.

A notice will be posted by John Frieda and Jergens when the Glow Packs are no longer available for that week.

Limit 1 Glow Pack per person/email address regardless of the Facebook page you claim it from.

Your submission will also be counted as an entry into the Grand Prize trip to the Bahamas.

Visit the John Frieda Sheer Blonde Facebook Page

Visit the Jergens Canada Facebook Page

Try A&W’s new Sweet Potato Fries for FREE on May 24, 2013!

The sample portion is served with spicy chipotle mayo and are available starting at 11am, while supplies last.

Find an A&W near you.

Here are the new cash-back offers beginning on May 23, 2013 from Checkout 51!  The offers will expire at 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, May 29, 2013.  Download the Checkout 51 app here.

Energizer MAX, any Energizer Max product.
Cash back $2.00

Maple Leaf Bacon, 500 g or more, any variety.
Cash back: $2.00

Schneider’s wieners or sausages, any variety.
Cash back: $2.00

Chapman’s ice cream, 2L or more, includes Original and Premium ice cream.
Cash back: $1.50

Europe’s best frozen fruit, any variety.
Cash back: $2.00

Europe’s best frozen vegetables, any variety.
Cash back: $2.00

Select Glade® Products, excludes Glade Aerosols and Glade Solids.
Cash back: $2.00

Unico beans or peas, Any canned beans or peas.
Cash back: $0.50

Unico canned tomatoes, 796 mL, any variety.
Cash back: $0.50

Unico olives, 375 mL or more in cans or jars
Cash back: $0.50

Any grocery trip over $60
Cash back $1.00

Get 2 free movie tickets when you buy specially marked packages of M&M’s or Maltesers with this mail in rebate offer!  Here are some details:

• Send in 8 pouch tops from specially marked pouches of M&M’s or Maltesers
  OR
• Send in 2 pouch tops from specially marked Party size packs of M&M’s or Maltesers

Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of your 2 adult movie tickets.  Limit 2 requests per household. Offer ends December 31, 2013.

Fill in your details on the Matrix Professional Haircare & Color Facebook page to receive a free Biolage hair care sample!

You will receive your free 7mL shampoo & conditioner Biolage Advanced sample within 4 weeks.

Save $1.00 off Nestle Pure Life water with this hidden printable coupon from SmartSource.ca!

Limit 2 prints per computer.  Valid 30 days after printing.

Save $0.75 off D’Italiano, Wonder or Country Harvest rolls or buns with the new coupon from Save.ca!

Buy 2 Royale paper towel products, get 1 Free with this printable coupon that is redeemable at Shoppers Drug Mart!

Coupon expires June 14, 2013.

Download Ultimate Leadership: Winning Execution Strategies for Your Situation for free!  The price is currently $0 but please be aware that this can change at any time.  Also note that this free download is especially for Kindles but you can download a free app that will allow you to read these Kindle ebooks on your computer, tablet or smartphone!

Double check that it is still $0 before purchasing it!!

So you want to decorate.  Liven up your home with a new few things.  The thing is, the piggy bank is pretty empty.  But that doesn’t have to stop you.  There are plenty of ways to decorate on a budget, especially if you know where to shop.

Here are 5 places to shop when you’re decorating on a budget:

Dollar stores

Dollar store decor is definitely cheap, price and quality wise, in most cases.  But, dollar stores always seem to have a nice selection of candles, candle holders, vases, wall art and more.  Not only do they have “pre-made” decor items, they provide a great selection of craft supplies so you can create your own unique decor.  As another example, I recently purchased two simple wooden picture frames that I intend on using for framing some nice papers I own to add some colour to the walls.

Thrift stores

Thrift stores can be amazing places to go decor shopping.  They often carry furniture, paintings, accessories, vintage fabric and more.  If you find a piece of furniture you like, but it’s a little on the worn side, you can always refinish, re-paint, or reupholster it. Old paintings and mirrors can be re-framed, or frames can be used for new pieces of art. Finally, clean, polish or spray paint the neat  accessories you find.

Garage sales

Similar to thrift stores, garage sales can be a treasure chest full of cheap home decor items.  While many items might need a little bit of TLC, you may find some beautiful items for sale simply because the sellers have changed their tastes.

Kijiji, Craigslist and Buy & Sell sites

If you’re on the hunt for some new-to-you furniture, I think Kijiji, Craigslist and Facebook Buy & Sell sites are a great place to look.  We recently were on the hunt for a new couch and love seat.  I had been scouring the flyers a good sale, but nothing jumped out at me.  It wasn’t until a leather couch set appeared on a local Facebook group that I got excited.  We ended up getting a great deal because we opted to purchase something gently used.

Homesense

Possibly the most expensive option on this list, Homesense is a great place to look for brand new lamps, pillows, bedding, baskets, dishes, towels, bathroom accessories and more at marked-down prices.

Where is your favorite budget-friendly place to shop?