Free Subscription to Field & Stream

Field & Stream is one of my mom's favorite magazines. And now she can get a year-long subscription for free!

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

Tuesday Travels: Vacation the Cape on a Budget

As you may know, my husband and I have taken on an enormously expensive home renovation over the last few months. One stipulation of buying our home nearly six years ago was that we'd someday build a garage. The detached garage we had originally planned has blossomed into an attached garage with a great deal of living space above. Along with these lovely blossoming changes comes a whole pile of bigger bills. Which means we had to scale down our typical vacation plans this year.

One of our favorite vacations each year is a trip to Cape Cod, just a scenic hour and half drive away. Cape Cod is typically a fairly expensive tourist trap if you're not careful. But my husband and I have been inexpensively vacationing there every year since we started dating.

We spent a gorgeous, but hot and humid week camping at Nickerson State Park, which is located on 1900 acres in Brewster, the center of the Cape. Over 400 camp sites are available to reserve - tent and RV/camper sites are available in addition to yurts - cabin-like buildings if you're not into sleeping on the ground and you don't own a camper. Reservation fees for MA residents are less expensive than non-MA residents and vary based on the type of site you're reserving ($22/night for tent/camper site versus $55/night for large yurt site).

The camp sites at Nickerson do not have running water or electricity, but fear not! There are bathrooms available throughout the camp that have cold running water, running lights and even an outlet or two if you'd like to charge your phone while you pee. Bathrooms are cleaned once a day by park staff, although I assure you that you'll still find an abundance of bugs.

In addition to water access in the bathrooms, there are water spigots located every 4-5 camp sites, which are available for you to fill up on cooking and cleaning water. You could probably drink this water too, but my husband and I usually bring our own bottled water. The campground is also equipped with several shower houses if you'd like to wash off all the dirt and grime. These are offered free of charge, unlike some private campgrounds which charge to use the showers. The showers are also cleaned once a day so try to avoid attempting to shower during the cleaning schedule or you may have a very long wait. While the showers do offer hot water, there isn't always hot water available if many people have been showering when you arrive.

Flax Pond

Nickerson State Park features several large freshwater ponds available for swimming and boating. None of the water areas are life guarded, so you swim at your own risk. There's also a huge stretch of beautiful paved bike trails throughout the campground that lead to the Cape Cod Rail Trail, a bike path that runs throughout the Cape. The bike trails inside the campground are tough, with steep slopes and sharp drops, but once on the Cape Cod Rail Trail, the path is fairly flat with only minor thigh-burning gradual hills.

If you forgot to pack your sunscreen or goggles or nearly anything else, there's a Camp Store within the park open each day from 8 - 8. Prices are steep but it's convenient. Maybe you ran out of marshmallows or you're craving an ice cream bar - you can get both at the Camp Store. Most importantly, the Camp Store sells firewood at $5.50 a bundle. It is prohibited to bring in outside firewood into any MA State Park because of past issues with invasive bugs destroying forest populations. Trying to sneak in your own firewood can cause you to get kicked out of the campground.

If you're not willing to fork over the high prices for items at the Camp Store or they don't have what you need, there are a million shops and box stores within a few miles of the campground. We often make runs to Shaws to pick up stuff we didn't have room to pack like cases of water.

Perhaps camp stove cooking is not your thing or you'd rather pluck your own eyelashes out than lose them attempting to light your own camping grill. There are so many delicious local restaurants that serve a variety of foods within just a 5-10 minute drive. Obviously being on the Cape, lobster shacks and other seafood restaurants are most popular, however, you can find yourself an equally great pub or family-style restaurant too.

On the advice of Jon's Uncle Matt, he and I stopped in A Hole in One in Orleans for a sit-down breakfast one morning and grabbed some donuts to go on our last morning of the trip. Warning: If you're looking for a quick bite to eat, don't go here! I promise you there will be a wait. There will be a wait whether you're a party of 1, of 2 or of 10. There will be a wait whether you want to sit down and eat or grab it to go. The food is so amazing, there are always lines in the morning. You MUST try the donuts - they are worth every calorie, especially the honey dipped!

We also make it a point to complete a multi-mile bicycle ride on the Cape Cod Rail Trail so that we can later treat ourselves to delicious burritos at Guapo's Tortilla Shack in Brewster. If you don't mind walking, this gem is located about 2 miles outside of the campground entrance and right on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Jon and I usually get the Chicken Fajita Burro and wash it down with a delicious cerveza. Beer and margaritas must be purchased at the outdoor bar window, while food can be purchased inside. There are a few indoor seats, but be prepared to sit outside at the picnic tables under the cabanas. If you're not into straight-up Tex-Mex food, Guapo's also offers regular ol' burgers and fish 'n chips. They do offer a gluten free menu as well, however, there are only a handful of options on it.

Some other notably delicious restaurants include Orleans's Jailhouse Tavern, which we did not visit this year, but have visited several times in the past. It's actually in an old jailhouse. The building inside is sooo cool! And they have the absolute best French dip sandwiches I've ever had in my life. Ever. I hope it's still on the menu. If it's not, there will be a one-woman riot next year when I stop in. Land Ho!, also in Orleans, features some great pub-style food. Ever heard of a Cape Cod Reuben? Fried cod, coleslaw and thousand island dressing = a tiny slice of Heaven on a plate. If you're looking for a dog-friendly spot, like us, check out Cobie's. Found right off the bike trail, Cobie's in Brewster offers a wide selection of clam-shack type food as well as a gazillion different types of ice cream. I wanted ice cream for dinner, but my husband made me adult that day, so I had to wait for ice cream until after dinner.

As I said, my husband made me adult and wait for ice cream until after dinner. Our pup, Riley, was getting antsy so we headed out for a quick drive and ended up at Emack & Bolio's in Orleans for our dessert. This is another place that you will never get in and out of very quickly. There is always a line. But that's because it's amazing. So amazing, we splurged and let Bubby have his first people-food experience in the form of vanilla ice cream.

If you think you'd get bored relaxing at your camp site, taking serene nature walks through the wooded forests or lazily floating across a freshwater lake, there are plenty of fun things to do outside of the campground. Our favorite is the Wellfleet Drive-In which has double-features every night. There is also a Wellfleet Cinema on the same grounds if you'd rather not get eaten alive by buggies. Last year we caught Despicable Me 2 and RIP Department - both excellent movies. This year, we ended up watching two fairly childish movies - Minions, which was really funny, and Inside Out which my husband dubbed "cheesy." If you're a preteen girl, this is a great movie for you... for all others, proceed with caution!

My husband drives a Tacoma so we bring our camping chairs and park our butts in the bed of his truck. While the Drive-In does have some still-working vintage speakers, it's important you bring a working radio or have your car battery fully charged. They do not guarantee that the speaker you park near will work and you cannot have your vehicle running during the shows. The Drive-In charges per person rather than per carload and is totally pet-friendly. There's a playground in the center with swings for the kids before the show and in between the double features. Snacks and drinks can be purchased at the concession stand but they are pricey. You can bring in outside food and drinks, but no alcoholic beverages!

On Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday on the same grounds as the Drive-In is a flea market. Open from 8-3 weather permitting, the flea market features vintage vendors as well as artists' and craftsmen's wares. Admission is $1 per carload and you can purchase food and drinks from the Snack Stand. If you're looking for libations, there is also a Beer Garden where my husband always drags me. It's no fun thrifting without drinking, right?

We love finding balance between relaxing and finding our zen in the forest and sight seeing and hanging out in the chaos of Cape Cod's tourism. We're always sad to go home. This year was our first trip with a pet and even Riley was sad to go  home.

Why we love Nickerson State Park:
-an inexpensive way to experience the Cape (you can't beat $22/night)
-pet-friendly
-near many restaurants, shops and attractions
-requires a paid parking pass for day-visitors, which prevents overcrowding
-electricity in bathrooms
-hot water in shower houses!

Annoying things about Nickerson State Park
-books up quickly... if you want a site during the summer, you must book 6 months out
-some sites aren't so private (near bathrooms, really close together, etc.)
-TRAFFIC! trying to enter or leave, there's always endless traffic
-you are limited to a max. of 14 consecutive camping days so you can't spend the entire summer there

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

Menu Plan Monday: 8/3- 8/9

Sorry for skipping last week's Menu Plan Monday post, but my husband, our pup Riley and I were camping in Nickerson State Park in the Cape all week. Although I didn't post about it, I actually plan out all 3 meals when camping so that I can buy just enough food so that we don't run out, but don't have a ton leftover.

This week is pretty laid-back and I'm still trying to clear out the random odds and ends in my stockpile and freezer. While we were gone, the roofers came and redid our existing roof and roofed the new roof on the garage. It looks fabulous and is one more giant step towards completing this renovation from hell. Not much is left that is very time sensitive so I don't have to run around, scrambling to feed helpers.

Monday - Chicken sausage, mashed potatoes, edamama, zucchini

Tuesday - Crockpot beef chili

Wednesday - Ravioli with chicken

Thursday - Baked fish with broccoli and couscous

Friday - It's just me - so I'll try to eat leftovers or breakfast for dinner (my favorite)

Saturday - Date night out to eat

Sunday -  Family Dinner at my in laws'!

Want to start menu planning to help save time, money and stress at supper time? Use my menu plan template.

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

$10 Off $30 Purchase In Store or Online at Kohls!

This is such a great coupon, especially for your back to school needs! Get $10 off your $30+ purchase in stores or online at Kohls. If using online, use the promo code TEN4YOU at checkout.
Coupon expires 7/26.

You can pair this discount with the spend $50, get $10 Kohls cash, too!

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

Free Subscription to Shape Magazine

Are you trying to shape up too? Get a free subscription to Shape magazine.

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

Sign Up for Text Alerts, Get $10 off $50 at OSJL

Another pretty nifty deal at Ocean State Job Lot - sign up for their text alerts and get a mobile coupon worth $10 off of a $50 purchase.

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

30% Off Classroom Supplies for Educators at Ocean State Job Lot!

Calling all educators and related professionals!

Get 30% off select classroom supplies at Ocean State Job Lot from August 6-19.

Checkout the procedure and what items are eligible here.

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

Free Subscription to Better Homes & Gardens

Get a free subscription to Better Homes & Gardens. I love sending a free subscription to my relatives for birthdays and other holidays. My grandma's birthday is coming up in September -- guess what she's getting?!

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

Irish Music Festival 5K Bonus Offer (9/12/15)

Interested in running a 5k this year? The Irish Music Festival 5k is sure to be a great run and an awesome after party. Unfortunately I cannot run this race as I've got a prior engagement, however, I wanted to share this great deal with my readers.

Registration includes the race bib and a tshirt, but if you're one of the first 500 registrants, you'll also get a free Guinness pint glass!

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

Women's & Girls' Sleeveless Tops only $6 at Old Navy!

Today only (7/22), select women's and girls' sleeveless tops are only $6 at Old Navy! What a great way to start some back to school shopping on a budget!

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

What's Cookin' Wednesday: Healthier Zucchini Muffins

I mentioned last week that our wonderful neighbor has been very generous with her garden harvest and has shared pounds upon pounds of zucchini with us. We're zucchinied-out in terms of eating it as a regular vegetable side. So I started making a batch of muffins every week for my husband. But I recently found this recipe which has very little oil and cuts out some of the sugar by replacing it with honey. As a result, the calorie content is really minimal when compared to your typical muffin.

I followed the recipe to make the muffins themselves, but I did not use the crumble topping and I thought the muffins were delicious.

Please take a moment to check out Kathie's Zucchini Muffins!

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

Tuesday Travels: Brimfield Antique Show #TeamSnuggle

If you're a long-time reader, then you know I absolutely love thrifting and antiquing, especially for my beloved Pyrex. I'm a huge fan of thrift stores like Savers and Salvation Army, but I also find some really great deals at antique markets too.

Three times a year the town of Brimfield, MA holds an enormous antique show that has an endless supply of antiques and vintage goodies. The show started in the 1950s, according to its website, and hosts thousands of dealers over a half-mile stretch of land. You can find reproduction primitives, expensive antiques and really kitschy stuff at every turn and bend. If you're looking for it, someone at Brimfield probably has it.

The show runs three times every year: one week each (Tuesday through Sunday) in May, July and September. I've visited both in May and July and on both a weekday and a weekend. If you're able, the facilities are less crowded during the week, and believe it or not, during July. However, keep in mind the July heat can be a scorcher and nearly everything is outdoors so there is little escape from the heat.

Regardless of when you go, you will most likely need to pay to park. Parking fees range from $5 to about $10, depending on how close to things you want to park. Bear in mind, however, that the further into the thick of things you park, the longer it may take you to leave when you're tired and want to go home.

The show is divided into fields. Most of the fields feature free admission, however, a few do charge a per person fee. In addition, some fields are only open certain days of the week or at certain times. In theory, the show is open from sun-up to sundown, but not all of the vendors are always open and available.

There are plenty of Port-O-John facilities, but there isn't always toilet paper and/or sanitizer/soap and water. I always bring napkins/tissues in my backpack as well as a small bottle of sanitizer. I especially like the option of my own sanitizer when it comes time to eat. There are many food vendors at the Brimfield Antique Show that serve a wide array tasty goodies including saugies, kielbasa, barbeque, ice cream, popcorn, smoothies, dough boys and more.

I highly recommend you bring your own sunscreen and use it frequently, although I did find a few Port-O-John stations that offered sunscreen for its customers, free of charge (tips could be left). And I also encourage you to bring snacks (protein-carb mix leaves you fuller longer!) and water in a backpack. It can start to add up if you have to keep buying bottled water from vendors or the food carts. (And who the heck wants to wait 10 minutes in line for water when you could be perusing vintage goodies!)

Although I don't recommend it, some people do choose to bring their dogs. I think it's a bad idea because it gets way too hot for their little tootsies. But also, some of the fields prohibit pets and it would limit what areas of the Show you could visit. It's really better to just leave Fido at home!

Now, if you're looking for yard-sale prices, you're not going to find them here. You also won't typically find yard-sale quality stuff either. Many of these dealers are long-time dealers and know what they have. They do, however, often accept offers, even low-ball ones, and are usually willing to haggle within reason. The closer to Sunday you visit, the more they are willing to haggle because they don't want to pack up their stuff to haul it back home again.

Didn't make it to the Show this month? Brimfield Antique Show will once again be back in September (9/8-13).

Or if you'd like to think ahead and make plans for next year, here are the 2016 dates:
May 10-15
July 12-17
September 6-11

I brought my @Snuggle_Bear with me as part of our #TeamSnuggle mission and we made a few really fantastic Pyrex and Fire King purchases. I'm so excited to add these guys to my growing vintage milk glass collection.

Disclaimer: I did receive this cute little Snuggle bear for free from Snuggle as part of the #SnuggleSummer mission with #TeamSnuggle #Spon However, I truly did attend Brimfield, paid my parking fee, food costs and the price of my vintage goodies out of my own pocket simply because I love thrifting!


Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

Free Appetizer Sampler at Applebees Today (7/21)! #TasteTheChange

One appetizer sample per party (some exceptions made depending on your party's size). Valid only on 7/21 at participating Applebees.



Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

Menu Plan Monday: 7/20 - 7/26

My life has been semi-consumed by an enormous endeavor my husband took on in the last several months. Building a garage that is 2/3rds the size of our entire house has made all of our normal routines abruptly cease. After his 8 hour work day, Jon spends the next 4-5 hours of daylight (and sometimes into night) working on construction projects. It's been breath-taking to watch. But as a result, I have had to feed lunch to anywhere from 1 to 5 manly crew members each weekend day.

Although a lot of work, it has been helpful in accomplishing my goal of clearing out my freezer stockpile. And, it often leaves random leftovers we can use for dinners later in the week, which is exactly what I'm doing in this week's Menu Plan Monday.

Monday - BBQ naan pizzas
(using shredded BBQ chicken I cooked in the crockpot for the crewmen on Saturday)

Tuesday - Pork chops, apple sauce, mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts

Wednesday - Dinner plans through Providence's Restaurant Week!

Thursday - Ham tetrazzini made with spaghetti squash

Friday - Marinated chicken breast, macaroni salad (made for the crewmen), Brussels sprouts

Saturday - Date night out to eat

Sunday -  Family Dinner at my in laws'!

Want to start menu planning to help save time, money and stress at supper time? Use my menu plan template.

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts