Clean, Regular and Read for School!

Yesterday I went to Walgreens. I was determined to get in on the deals early this time instead of waiting until Wednesday like normal and missing out. Figures it was a bad week for getting free money in return. But I still managed to pay almost nothing for the things I did buy. It just means next week I have to pay a bit out of pocket is all.  No biggie. I'm learning as I go along still. Tomorrow I will visit CVS and see what damage I can do there. Stay tuned for that...

Walgreens Transaction

(2)Salonpas Hot Patch ($1.99, sale $0.99)

used this coupon for $1 off (printed 2x), making them free

(4) Right Guard deodorant ($4.49, in store sale B1G1 free)

used this coupon for $3 off 2 (printed 2x), making them $2.98 for all 4

(2) Benefiber Drink Packets 16pk  ($7.99, sale $3 off in store = $4.99 ea)

used the Walgreens booklet coupon (pick up in the front of the store) for additional $2 off each

used this coupon for additional $2 off (printed 2x), making them $1.98 for both

(2) Renpure Organics Shampoo ($6.99, in store sale B1G1 free)

will use a $6.99 rebate form found on the bottles, making them both free

(4) Index card sets ($1.99, in store sale $0.39)

(3) Papermate Mechanical Pencils 10 pk ($2.99, in store sale $0.39)

Good-n-Plenty ($1.49, in store sale $1) - needed shopping fortification :)

Total before using Register Rewards (RR = free Walgreens money): $15.81 (includes tax)

- $8 RR

Total OOP: $7.81

I'll be getting a refund for $6.99 from the shampoo

Total after rebate: $0.82

Spent: $7.81

Original Cost of Items: $70.32

Savings: $62.51

89% of Savings

If you take into consideration the refund I'll be getting:

Spent: $0.82

Original Cost of Items: $70.32

Savings: $69.50

99% of Savings I think this is FABULOUS!

July 7th... More Target Practice

I struggle to comprehend, if you are a company that actually has a corporate couponing policy, why do not ALL the stores follow it? I think sometimes the policy leaves things up to interpretation by every Tom, Dick and Marty who thinks they know everything. Can you tell I had a irritating Target experience this week?! lol It all went well in the end so I won't complain too much.

I went to one Target to do my 'dealin' as my husband calls it. They didn't have the Olay Body Wash I wanted in stock. So they found out which stores had it and I drove all the way over to another city (about 15 miles) where they awaited me in Customer Service. The flim-flammin' customer service guy would not let me use my buy one Olay get Ivory free coupons and ALSO use my $ off Olay coupons. It should work fine if I have one coupon per item but he was saying that the BIGI counts 2 items as one item. So stupid. Okay, I'm done. Anyway, I went to another  Target and they happily did it.

Target Visit #1:

(2) Kellogs Cereals (Orig. $3.39/4.29, sale $2.88)

(6) Tasters Choice Packets (Orig. $1.00)

Olay Body Bar (Orig. $0.97)

Tide 1 Use pkt (Orig. $0.97)

(2) Sobe Drinks (Orig. $1.29, sale $1.00)

Kraft Dressing (Orig. $2.09)

Crazy Straws 12 pk (Orig. $1.00)

* Used 11 Coupons for $ off sale prices* 

Spent: $4.03

Original Cost of Items: $21.29

Savings: $17.26

81% of Savings

Target Visit #2:

(6) Olay Total Effects Body Wash (Orig. $5.29, sale $4.79)

(6) Ivory Soap 10pk (Orig. $3.79, sale $3.59)

Spent: $5.15

Original Cost of Items: $54.48

Savings: $49.33

91% of Savings

* Used 12 Coupons for $ off sale prices*

TARGETS TOTALS:
Paid: $9.18
Saved: $66.39

(Orig Price: $75.57)
88% savings!

I think I'm done with my dealin' until Sunday when the new coupons and sales come out. Oh wait! That's tomorrow! Yay!

I NOW Have Shampoo Out The WAZOO!

The little one and I went to Walgreens yesterday to check out their deals. I had planned to go earlier in the week and pick up more of the Celsius Tea drinks (so yum) but of course they were all sold out! I came across an unadvertised deal for the shampoos. Pay $3.49, get $3 in Register Rewards back. Exciting right? Since I just said in this post that I was out of shampoo. I plop all my purchases on the counter, all set to do separate alternating purchases so I could get several of these for only $0.49 each. However, the computer wasn't pulling this deal up or shooting out Register Reward monies. The manager was called in and he couldn't fix it. He decided to just charge me the $0.49 each and I didn't have to do separate purchases! You can imagine I grabbed a couple more bottles to buy!

(9) Suave Shampoo/Cond (Orig. $3.99, sale $3.49)

(3) Pencils 10pk (Orig. $1.99, sale $0.19)

(5) Mechanical Pencils 5pk (Orig. $1.99, sale $0.19)

(5) Pens 10pk (Orig. $1.99, sale $0.19)

Colgate Max Toothpaste (Orig. $3.39, sale $2.99)

Colgate Max Toothbrush (Orig. $3.39, sale $2.99)

Crest Advantage Toothbrush (Orig. $3.39, sale $2.99)

* Used 3 Coupons for $ off sale prices* 

Spent: $1.20

Original Cost of Items: $81.95

Savings: $80.75

99% of Savings

$8 RR leftover for next time

(I started out with $20 in Register Rewards and used $16 on these purchases. Received $4 in return = $8 RR.)

July 4th Weekend Savings

I think I did a bit too much shopping in the last few days as my posts and pictures are starting to pile up! In fact, I took so long to take pics of some of my purchases, they were eaten/drunk/used up! The way people devour snacks and drinks in this house, you would think they were starved half to death!

The little one and I went out on Friday for a 'girls day of couponing'. She loves that she was included in my little adventure. She was very helpful as well. 

Yesterday's post showed the visits to Walgreens but we also hit up CVS and Walmart. 

CVS Visit

Transaction #1:

Edge Saving Gel (Orig: $1.99)

Hydro Razor (Orig. $12.99, sale $8.99)

Schick Titanium Razor (Orig. $10.99, sale $9.99)

* Used 3 Coupons for $ off sale prices* 

Final Price: $2.22

Retail Total: $25.97

Savings: $23.75

92% savings!

ECB $10 for next time

Transaction #2:

(2) Xtra laundry Soap (Orig. $1.99, sale 2/$3)

(2) Frapucchino Drinks (Orig. $1.99, sale 2/$3)

Colgate Toothpaste (Orig. 1.99, sale $.89)

(2) Colgate Total Toothpastes (Orig. $2.89, sale $1.99 ea)

(4) Act II Popcorn 3pk (Orig. 1.00)

* Used 8 Coupons for $ off sale prices* 

Final Price: $6.12

Retail Total: $19.73

Savings: $13.61

69% savings!

CVS Spent: $8.34

Original Cost of Items: $45.70

Savings: $37.36

82% of Savings

$10 ECB money for next time

Walmart

Our Walmart visit was one of my favorites because I bought all for practically nothing! I love when that happens! My final price for 7 boxes of cereal is fabulous!

(4) Post cereals (Orig. $3.39, sale $2.50)

(2) Kelloggs Cereals (Orig. $2.99 ea)

(1) Kelloggs Fiber Cereal (Orig. $2.88)

* Used 7 Coupons for $ off sale prices* 

Final Price: $5.50

Retail Total: $22.42

Savings: $16.92

76% savings!

Weekend Totals:  

Spent: $13.84

Original Cost of Items: $68.12

Savings: $54.28

80% of Savings

$10 CVS (ECB) money for next time

If you subtracted the $10 in CVS money from my spent amount, I really only spent $3.84. Not bad for a 21 items and a weekend's adventure!

July 2nd Walgreens Visits

Last Friday was a stellar day in Walgreens history, for me at least. 2 Walgreens, 16 separate transactions (found 2 fabulous cashiers and one nice manager) and an enormous pile-o-loot! I won't bore you (I don't really have any readers, just talking to myself, but I can pretend!) with all the details, coupons, etc... If you have a question about where I got a coupon or something, holler.

Walgreens #1

(4) Colgate Pro Clinical Toothpaste (Orig. $4.99 ea)

(2) Celsius Tea 4 pk (Orig. $7.99, sale $3.99)

(2) Pilot G2 Pens 2 pk (Orig. $2.99)

(7) Laffy Taffy (Orig. $0.10) used as fillers (must have one item for each coupon used, especially when you have 2 coupons for an item; manufacturer and store coupons)

(2) Silly Bands (Orig. $2.99, sale 2/$5) they're all the 'rage' these days

(2) Batteries 16 pack (Orig. $9.99, BIGI free)

* Used 10 Coupons for $ off sale prices*

Final Price: $17.64

RR: (Originally had $20, rec'd $6, used $8 in transactions, $18 left for next stop)

Retail Total: $68.58

Savings: $50.94

75% savings!

Basically, if I took the $18 in Register Rewards and had been able to pay my total bill of $17.64, technically they were paying ME to buy their product, paying me $0.36! 

Walgreens #2

(8) Crest Advanced Whitening ToothPaste (Orig. 3.79)

(24) Laffy Taffy (Orig. $0.10) fillers

(1) Reach Toothbrush (Orig. $1.99, sale $0.99)

(2) Men's Zone Razor (Orig. 6.99, sale $3.99)

(3) Sinful Nail Polish (Orig. $1.99, sale $0.99)

(2) Prell Shampoo (Orig. $2.99)

(1) VO5 Shampoo (Orig. $0.79, sale $0.69)

(1) Inkjet Cartridge Reill (Orig. $12.99, sale $9.99)

* Used 9 Coupons for $ off sale prices* 

 

Final Price: $3.85

RR: (Originally had $18, rec'd $34, used $38 in transactions, $14 left for next time)

Retail Total: $74.42

Savings: $70.57

95% savings!

 

TODAYS TOTALS:
Paid: $21.49
Saved: $121.51

(Orig Price: $143.00)
85% savings!

Plus I have $14 RRs left to use 

After subtracting the RRs from what I spent, my final total is: $7.49. Not bad for 61 items (although 31 were the little candies.)

The Late Bird Misses The Worm and Gets Only Small Bugs

So, this week I was slow to go to Walgreens for deals. Frankly, I was out of money except for the $5 I had in Register Rewards money. The problem with this is, they run out of many of their special items that you were planning on getting for free. I wandered around Walgreens for an hour having to plan and replan my strategies. I finally gave up on doing separate transactions, did it all as one and paid a bit more than I wanted. The upside to that is, I won't be paying anything next time because of all the Register Rewards money I have now!

Yesterday's Booty:

(2) Angel Soft Toilet Papers (not a huge deal, just needed it.) (Orig. $4 a pc)

(1) Airplus Aloe Socks (Orig. $3 special)

(4) Reach Toothbrushes (Orig. $2 a pc)

(4) Dove Deodorants (Orig. $3.99 a pc, sale 4/$15)

(1) Sure Deodorant (Orig. $2.99, sale $1.99)

(3) Twizzlers (Orig. $1.99 a pc, sale 2/$3)

(1) Gillette Fusion Razor (Orig. $12.99, sale $9.89)

(1) Epson Salt (needed for chigger ridden dog, $1.79)

Retail Cost: $58.70

Final Cost: paid $23.63 cash, used last week's $5 in RR = $28.63

RR: $20 to use next time

Total after RR: $8.63

Savings: $50.07

85% Savings!

The Reach toothbrushes were the biggest moneymaker. They were on sale for $0.99 and I had $1.00 off coupons. I made a penny each, right? Then, they end up printing $1 RR PER TOOTHBRUSH. That's a money maker right there. Wish I had more coupons!

DH says we have enough deodorant and toothbrushes and why do I need more than we'll use now? Apparently he doesn't understand the concept of stockpiling yet. I need to do some shampoo deals, we're out of shampoo entirely!

Today's stops: Target again, CVS and Walmart. Wish me luck!

P.S. The cashier was totally helpful and so was the manager who had to be called over twice! *oops*

Shopping Day!

Today is shopping day. I am armed with my trusty coupon lunchbox, my list of things I want to buy for free (hehe), a semi-good pair of walking shoes and I have a plan. Today I'm heading off into the wild blue yonder of Walgreens, CVS and Walmart. Hoping I find wonderfullly kind helpful salespeople at the drugstores today. Crossing my fingers anyway.

Thought I'd share a book I'm reading right now. It pertained to this blog as a way to save money and live on less.

So far it's been a good read. Whenever I'm reading a book that has useful information I end up with a notebook and pen, taking notes. Always the learner I guess. The author has a blog: Suddenly Frugal that is worth a visit.

Okay, wish me luck and cross your fingers for nice sales people. They're not as common as you would think!