CVS & School Supplies

Great day of shopping today, folks!  Before church this morning, I headed over to CVS to catch some good deals.  I've been skipping the drug store shopping lately because I simply wasn't needing anything!  Today, however, the deals were good and worth the trip!

Here's what I picked up:

I paid $12.39 out of pocket over two separate transactions.  First, I purchased the Renu contact solution (for my mom) and the Kotex.  The Renu was on sale (w/Extra Care card) for $7.99 and the Kotex was $3.49.  I had a coupon for $2 off the Renu (from the 6/12 Smart Source insert) and a $1 off Kotex coupon (printable from Southern Savers coupon database).  I also had $2 ECB from a previous visit, so my total after coupons, ECB and sales tax was $7.21, and I received $6 ECB for buying the Renu and $2 ECB for buying the Kotex.  I also received $1 ECB for using my green bag tag for the 8th time*, for a total of $9 back! 
*You earn $1 ECB every 4th time you use a reusable bag when making any purchase at CVS...you can only scan the tag once per day, though, so if you try to scan it multiple times -- like when making multiple transactions -- it won't let you.

Next, I purchased the Schick Hydro 3 razor, the Edge shave gel, 2 bottles of Skintimate Shave Cream, 1 bottle of Skintimate Shave Gel, and the box of Playtex tampons.  The deal here was that you would receive $10 ECB if you purchased $20 worth of these products.  The razor was on sale for $7.99 and I had a $4 off coupon from the 6/12 Smart Source coupon insert.  The shave gels (Edge & Skintimate) were each $2.19.  I had printable coupons (available, once again, from the Southern Savers coupon database)...$0.55 off Edge shave gel, (2) $1.50 off Skintimate shave cream, and $0.75 off Skintimate shave gel.  The Playtex tampons were $5.49 and I had a $1 off printable coupon.  Before coupons, I met the $20 minimum by reaching a total cost of $22.24 (before tax).  (I could have left off one of the shave gels, but oh well.)  After coupons, however, and of course using the $9 worth of ECB I received after transaction #1, I paid only $5.18!  I also got the $10 ECB, of course, so its kinda like they paid ME to take this stuff out of the store.  Nice!

After church, I headed over to Staples and Office Depot for some school supply savings.  Staples has their penny deals going on, so I've been going the past couple of Sundays to get some sweet deals.  Today they had 2-pocket folders for a penny.  The limit was 10, but with my school ID I was able to get 25!  You have to spend $5 minimum before you are eligible for the penny item of the week, so I also picked up two boxes of Kleenex (on Andrew's Kindergarten supply list) for $2.99, Sharpies for 50 cents (25 cents each), Wite-Out for 50 cents (25 cents each), 24 cap erasers for 20 cents (12-packs for 10 cents each), and two pencil cases for 50 cents (25 cents each). My grand total?  $6.36!

Over at Office Depot, they didn't have the stock to offer teachers more than the preset limit of penny and sale items, so my purchase there was small, but a really good deal.  For $2.71 I walked away with 20 glue sticks (5 packs of 4 glue sticks at 50 cents each) and 3 pencil sharpeners (the penny item of the day).  You may wonder why I am buying supplies, but seriously...SO MANY of my students come to school with NOTHING.  Its worth paying a little bit here and there, and getting such good deals, to avoid the repetitive discussion about why no one has their supplies.  The teachers out there will know what I mean. :)

So anyway, that's it for today...Hope you all got out there and got in on the good deals to be had!

Back from a break!

Whew!  Quite a lot going on around here lately...Chris and I celebrated nine years of marriage on June 22, Hannah turned three years old on June 28th, then the kids went to Nashville for a few days to hang out with my parents while Chris & I took a short trip to Jacksonville, Florida!  I had never been there and always wanted to visit that area (especially St. Augustine), so we were really excited.  Kitty B (our oldest furbaby) got very sick, however, so we had to make that trip short.  (If you're interested, you can read more about it here.)

Anyway, we are finally all back home and working on getting back into our routine...and that includes couponing!  Woot! :)  I headed out to Rite-Aid and CVS on Sunday morning (before we got on the road to go pick up the kiddos) and had a pretty good day at the drugstores, if I do say so myself!

My first stop was CVS.  They are continuing their gas card promotion, meaning they have various items featured weekly, and if you buy $30 worth (before coupons) you get a free $10 gas card!  I haven't realyl worked this deal before now because the items were nothing we really needed/wanted.  This week, however, it was toilet paper, paper towels, and feminine products...items we were actually starting to run out of and needed!  Here's what I picked up:

8 rolls of Basic Bounty paper towels ($5.99 w/card)
16 rolls of Charmin toilet paper ($9.99 w/card)
2 bottles of Dawn dish soap ($0.99 each w/card)
1 box of Always pantiliners ($2.99 w/card)
1 box of Always maxi pads ($2.99 w/card)
2 bottles of Pantene 2-in-1 shampoo (2 for $6.97 w/card)
Cost before sales tax, coupons or ECB's: $30.73
Coupons used: $1 off Always pantiliners, $0.50 off Always pads, $3 off 2 Pantene products, $0.25 off Dawn, $0.25 off Charmin, $1 off Basic Bounty paper towels
ECB used: $3 from a previous visit
Grand total after coupons, ECB's and sales tax: $23.86
Since I spent $30 on select items before coupons, I received my FREE $10 gas card and $3 ECB for my next visit! (The $3 was part of a quarterly incentive they give, not because I purchased any specific items.)  There were also some pretty awesome coupons attached to my receipt that will be matched with some manufacturer coupons to make a pretty sweet deal on other items!  More on that SOON!)

So, after my CVS trip, I headed down to Rite Aid.  I love Rite Aid. :)  I spent just a little more than $10 over three transactions!

Transaction #1:
1 Gillette Fusion Proglide razor ($9.97 w/card)
Used $4 off coupon, and $3.69 in +UP rewards
Grand total: $2.98
Got back $5 +UP rewards for buying the razor
*Both Chris and my dad love these razors, so I look for sales on them and catch them when I can.  I ended up giving this one to my dad since I had one in our cabinet at home for Chris. :)

Transaction #2:

Pampers Easy Ups Jumbo Pack ($8.97 w/card)
Used $1.50 off coupon and $5 +UP rewards from 1st transaction
Grand total: $3.10
Got back $2 +UP rewards for buying the Easy Ups

Transaction #3:

2 bottles of John Frieda Full Repair Hair Serum (B1G1 50% off at $9.99)
Used 2 coupons ($5 off each) and $2 +UP rewards
Grand total: $4.03
Received $5 +UP rewards for buying the John Frieda products!

So, my total at Rite Aid was $10.11 and I got back $5 for my next visit.  Not too bad, if I do say so myself! 

I hear there's a pretty sweet ad from Target this week, so as soon as I get the details and coupon matchups I will pass along that info!  Stay tuned! :)

Couponing in the Real World

I know there's a lot of drama around TLC's show "Extreme Couponing" and Lord knows I cannot even count the number of times I've been asked if I am one of those crazy hoarders that calls themselves "couponers."  I am NOT an "extreme couponer" if by "extreme" you mean someone like the crazies on TLC.  I am, however, a realistic couponer, and I save quite a bit of money by using coupons.

Most of the excuses I get from other people for not using coupons basically boil down to these two:

1.) "I just don't have the time."  (My response:  I guess you haven't been broke enough, because if you were saving 50-70% of each grocery bill I bet you would make the time!)

2.) "We don't eat processed food, and that's what most of the coupons are for, so they are irrelevant for my life."  (My response:  That's great that you are committed to healthy eating habits!  Why not save money on the other items you use -- shampoo, body wash, deodorant, etc -- so it doesn't hurt as much financially to buy all-organic meat/produce/dairy? Oh, and YES you can catch organic items on sale!!)

So, when I saw this article, written by Jenny from Southern Savers, I just had to share.  Please, whether you are new to couponing, curious (or confused) about how to get started*, or just flat-out anti-coupons, check this out and see what you think.  I'd love to chat about it, perhaps have a friendly debate (for those of you who are anti-couponing) and share how coupons have fit into our lives instead of becoming our lives.

*For those who are confused, please check out the other tabs at the top of the page to read about how we organize ourselves, how to read those crazy abbreviations and grocery store ads, etc.  Any questions?  Let me know!!

CVS trip...paid tax only!

I am still stoked about this morning's trip to CVS so I just had to share. :)  I went today to just pick up a very few things and ended up doing well, in my opinion.  Here's what I got:


Being that its summertime and my kids are loving the outdoors, I'm seeing many more scrapes and scratches and they're certainly asking for Band-Aids frequently enough!  Hannah in particular LOVES Band-Aids, so we keep a good stock when we can.  Her favorite Band-Aids are the Toy Story band-aids, so when we ran out a couple of weeks ago, she was upset but making do with her Hello Kitty and Strawberry Shortcake bandages.  ANYWAY.  When I saw the CVS deal for $3 ECB when you buy $10 worth of Neosporin and/or Band-Aid products, I was excited.  I headed on over and picked some up.  I had a coupon for $1.50 off when you buy a Neosporin AND Band-Aid product, so of course I used that!
*NOTE: The register did NOT print up the $3 ECB's at first, but I pulled out the ad and showed the cashier that the ad didn't specify that the Band-Aids had to be plain ol' Band-Aids...just $10 worth of Band-Aid and/or Neosporin products.  She was awesome and agreed with me, so she printed them up for me, but just so you know...the character Band-Aids might give you a problem if you try to get the ECB's by buying them!

I also saw that they were running a B1G1 free sale on Scotch tape.  Since Chris has been developing and expanding his at-home business of selling online (through Amazon and half.com) he does a lot of shipping, so it was worth it to pick up some tape for when he needs to secure the bigger packages.  I had lots of coupons (printed through a link I got off the Southern Savers site) and, since they were B1G1 free, I could use TWO coupons for each set. :)  So the rolls of Magic tape that were $1.99 ended up being FREE after using my two $1 off coupons.  The packing tape was $4.99 and B1G1 free as well, so after using two $1 off coupons I spent $2.99 for those two rolls.

All in all, my subtotal before coupons SHOULD have been $21.12...however, I had $7.50 in coupons, bringing the total down to $13.62.  I then used my ECB's from last week's trip, which totaled $13.49.  When the tax and everything got adjusted, it ended up that they OWED me money.  They are not allowed to give me money back, so I ended up buying a king-size Snickers and a king-size pack of M&M's for Chris (Happy Father's Day!), which brought my subtotal to $0.13.  After adding the tax on these items to that $0.13, I ended up paying $1.53 out of pocket.  I also walked away with $3 ECB for next week. NICE. 
*ANOTHER NOTE:  They have a promotion right now for Mars candy products...spend $10 and get $3 ECB's.  These were $1 each and count as 2 of my 10, so I might be heading back to stock up on more chocolate if I can hunt down some decent coupons to "sweeten" the deal (pun intended!)...

So what about you?  Any awesome deals you've caught or thought about?  Let me know!!

Rite-Aid Rocks!

So I haven't gone to Rite Aid or CVS in a couple of weeks.  Its not that I haven't wanted to...I just haven't had the time and haven't needed anything badly enough.  I am *not* one of those Extreme Coupon crazy people who buys stuff just to buy it.  I don't have the time, energy or storage space in my house for all that.  Anyway, I happened to look at my Rite Aid +UP bucks (which are similar to CVS Extra Care bucks) and noticed that my $10 +UP bucks were going to expire on Saturday!  ACK!  I simply refuse to let $10 just get thrown away.  No way, no how.  Those +UP rewards are like CASH MONEY, folks, so please, please, please do not just throw them away!  OK, enough about that.

So I checked out the Rite Aid ad from this week and decided to make a stop while I was out and about with a good friend yesterday.  If you've been following me on Facebook, you might know that the kids are visiting their grandparents in Alabama for a few days and while there are no little people running around destroying everything, Chris and I are taking the time alone to get stuff cleaned up and organized around the house.  So, when I saw that Rite Aid was having a Lysol promotion, I had to go after it.  (Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture of everything I bought, since I immediately came home and started *using* the products.)  Here's what I picked up:

2 bottles of Lysol bathroom tub & tile aerosol cleaner (on sale 2 for $5)
2 bottles of Lysol trigger all-purpose cleaner (on sale 2 for $5)
1 bottle of Lysol trigger bathroom cleaner (2 for $5...since I bought one it was $2.50)
1 bottle of Lysol trigger kitchen cleaner (2 for $5...so $2.50 for one)

Gain dish detergent (on sale for $0.88)
2 bottles of Ajax dish detergent (on sale for $0.88 each)
TOTAL (before coupons): $17.64

Coupons used:
$1 off 2 aerosol bathroom cleaners
$1 off 2 all-purpose trigger cleaners
$1 off one trigger cleaning product
$1 off Gain detergent
$1 off 2 Ajax products
$1 off Lysol product (from Rite Aid video values site)
Also used $10 +UP rewards
Grand total after coupons & sales tax: $3.87!
AND...since I spent $15 on Lysol products, I got $5 +UP rewards to use on my next transaction!

On my second transaction, I decided to pick up some sunscreen.  As much as the kids love to be outside, I figured it couldn't hurt to stock up.  Rite Aid is running a Coppertone promotion, where you get $5 +UP back when you buy 2 bottles of sunscreen for $9 each.  Here's what I got:

1 bottle of Coppertone Sport sunscreen (for me and Chris): $9
1 bottle of Coppertone Babies Tear-Free sunscreen: $9
Total (before coupons): $18
Coupons used:
$1 off Coppertone product (used 2)
$1 off Coppertone product (from Rite Aid video values site...used 2 of these as well)
Also used the $5 +UP rewards from my 1st transaction
Grand Total (after coupons and sales tax): $9.19 (which kinda makes it like a B1G1 free deal!)
I also received my $5 +UP rewards which I will save for my next visit.

Not too bad, in my opinion!  Anyone else get any awesome deals this week?

CVS Update

Hoping the picture posted correctly because I am supper excited about my second trip in one week to CVS! As you can see in the picture I got milk, bread, cereral, soft scrub, 3 candy bars, 3 Renuzits, Zyrtec, Reese Peanut Butter Cups and Mentos....all of this for a grand total of $5.92! Yup, you heard me correctly! Here's how I did it!

Zyrtec was the first purchase I had a $2 off coupon so paid with tax $4.21 and in return got $5.99 ECB

I then went and purchased the following:

Renuzit Coupon B2G1

Mentos had a $1.00 coupon that the CVS lady gave me

3 Hersey Bars were B2G1 for a penny, but I had a B1G1 coupon so I got the BOGO and the 3rd for a penny!

Softscrub was 2 for $5 and I had two .75 cents off coupons

Milk

Bread

Cinnamon Toast Crunch had a .55 cent of coupon

I also used my $4 ECB, $5.99 ECB and $3 off of 15 for a grand total of $5.92.....Not to shabby if I say so myself :)

CVS WOOHOO from Yesterday!

Hi Gang! Sorry it has been so long since I last posted, but things have been insane! I am fairly excited about my recent trip to CVS yesterday! Just to recap here it is:

At CVS yesterday, I purchased 2 Dial Bodywashes with free lotion attached (great travel size), 12 pack Pepsi, 3 packs of Tic Tacs, 3 Renuzit Air Freshners, a box of 20 note cards to send to friends, and a Shick Hydro Razor. Out of pocket I paid $8.62. Here is how it broke down:

12 pk Pepsi - I was luck enough to get the .99 coupon for the 12 pk (regularly priced at over $5.00)

2 Dial Washes - onsale for $3.88 each. I used two $2 off coupons from last weeks inserts making them $1.88 each (both cam with great travel size dial lotions)

3 Packs of Tic Tacs - priced at 1.62 a piece, but when you bough two you got the 3rd for a penny. I used 3 .75 cent off coupons from this past Sunday's paper as well

3 Renuzit Air Freshners - were on sale for .88 cents a piece. I had a coupon for B2G1

Schick Hydro Razor - on sale for $8, had a $4 off coupons from Sunday's paper as well and you got $4 ECBs.....so this razor was free!

My inital total was $27 and some change. With my coupons and my $3 off when you spend $15. My total was $10.26 with $4 ECB back so basically spent $6.26.

I then turned around and bought the pack of 20 cards to send to family and friends priced at $5.99. I used my ECBs and paid $2.36 out of pocket.

My total spent $8.62 for everything. I also got another $3 off 15 for my next trip!

I will try to post about my trip to Publix last weekend....Pretty stoked! Spent $92, Saved $106!

Till then keep on couponing.....

Sunday Savings!

So today I got up and went to CVS and Publix for some early-bird shopping!  I got away with some great deals, in my opinion, and just had to share!

First, I stopped to pick up TWO double coupon editions of the paper since this Sunday there are not only Smart Source and Redplum inserts, but also a Proctor & Gamble insert as well.  I headed over to CVS, where there were some great deals starting today.  Even though I got there @ 8 am, I was still too late for some of the more hardcore couponing ladies, since there were a couple of items already cleared out.  Crazy!

Anyway, I feel really good about  my savings at CVS today since I got all this:

...for $11.93!  That's two Oral-B power toothbrushes, a 1-liter bottle of Crest dental rinse, a bottle of Excedrin, a tube of deodorant, a pack of Huggies diapers and a bin of Huggies wipes!  Without coupons, all of this would have cost me $32.66 (not counting tax), so I think its pretty cool that I got all this for just under twelve bucks!  Oh, and the best part?  I left with $13.49 in ECB for next week's trip!  Yahoo!  I purchased all of this in one single transaction today because I had gotten a $4 off $20 purchase coupon in my email this week.  I could have paid less out-of-pocket, but I would have had to do four different transactions and of course, wouldn't have been able to save that $4 (nor would I have had as many ECB's for next week).  Oh, and I made sure to take my reusable bag with the CVS Green Bag Tag attached so I could get it scanned!  (You get $1 ECB after using it four times.  I've already used mine seven times, so after one more visit I'll get another ECB!)

After leaving CVS, I headed over to Publix to do a little grocery shopping!  I walked out with this:

...for $27.68!  In case you can't see it, I picked up two boxes of fruit snacks, two bottles of Suave body wash, two bottles of Bayer Aspirin, six Yoplait yogurts, strawberry cream cheese, Nestle refrigerated cookie dough, two boxes of Ritz crackers, two boxes of Ronzini Garden Delight pasta, pancake syrup, two boxes of corn dogs, two packs of Hormel deli meat, a pack of 4 AA batteries, two bottles of Sunny D, frozen sausage biscuits, and a gallon of milk! Without coupons, all of that would have cost me $69.53...but by matching coupons with Publix's B1G1free deals, I was able to save $41.85 (or 60%).

Someone told me this morning at church that they just didn't have time to clip coupons, but honestly...I don't see how you can afford NOT to!  When I think of how much my grocery bill has been reduced by learning how to coupon, I get so excited and want to share what I have learned!  If you have any questions, please ask!  I may not know everything about couponing, but I am happy to share the few tips and tricks that I do know!

I love freebies and cheapies!

Wal-Mart has some really good deals that, combined with coupons, makes for some great freebies!!  Here's what I picked up today:

I got these items for a grand total of $3.18!  If I hadn't bought the Suave Kids' "Morning Hair" spray, I would have only spent $1.26, but oh well.  Anyone who has seen Hannah's hair knows it is CRAZY and could likely benefit from some of that stuff.  Also, the band-aids and first aid kits will be totally handy this summer as the kids play outside more and more, and the other stuff...just good to have. :)  Anyway, here's how I did this:

The Nexcare bandages were on sale for $1 each.  I printed out two $1 off coupons from Southern Savers so both boxes were free.  The razors were $1.97 and I had a $2 off coupon, so those were also free (with three cents profit).  The KY jelly was $2.62 and I had a $3 off coupon, so it was also free + profit!  (That means I got $0.38 taken off the price of other items!)  The travel first aid kits were $0.97 each, and I had a coupon for $1 off WYB 2, so they were $0.47 each.  When I threw in the morning hair spray, which was $1.92, the overage from the KY & razor coupons brought down the price, so my total (with tax) was only $3.18.  Not bad for a Wal-Mart trip! :)

My friend Kelly was with me and she was laughing at me because I was totally cashier profiling.  I almost got in a different checkout lane, but when I saw this young guy at another register, I totally knew he'd be nice to the crazy lady with the coupons. :)  I was right!  The older ladies tend to be pickier and will fuss with you over coupons, reading them and double checking everything.  I mean, I never use incorrect or expired coupons, but I'd rather deal with someone who's nice and easygoing, you know?

After leaving Wal-Mart I went to the Bath & Body Works shop up at Tanger Outlets and used my coupon for a free travel-sized item with any purchase. :)  I got both of these body sprays for $5.35 (with tax), so basically B1G1free.  I rarely use more than just a quick spritz so these two bottles will last me for-ev-er.  Pretty good deal, in my opinion.

I checked out the Kroger unadvertised deals last night and printed out a list of free or less than $1 deals, so I plan to head there sometime in the next couple of days.  If you see/hear about any good deals, let me know!

Couponing Blogs

All right, guys...I have just stumbled upon a couple more awesome couponing blogs and just had to share.  They are listed on my blogroll (in the right-side column), so click on those links from time to time, or save them as a favorite on your computer!  You might already know about them, but just in case...here they are:

1.)  Couponing to Disney -- this blog is written by a coupon and Disney addict who saves so much money using coupons that she is easily able to afford yearly trips to Disney!  She has special links to learn how to save for Disney cruises or Disney park trips.  Being that Andrew is now five years old and Hannah is soon-to-be three, Disney is something that keeps coming up in conversations.  I look forward to exploring her site more and more to learn what she's doing to get to Disney. :)


2.)  Totally Target -- I loooooove Target, so seeing a whole blog set up just for Target lovers with the goal of helping them save the most money on things they need at a store they love...ahh, bliss.

As I come across new blogs/sites/deals, I will continue to post them in order to help you out!  Have a happy Memorial Day weekend, and please don't forget to stop and thank God for the sacrifice of fallen soldiers.

Rite Aid & CVS!

I would totally have pictures up of the stuff I got today, but our camera is taking its last breath and refusing to work with me. :(  I had to go ahead and share my good deals today, though.

Before I get into details, I want to apologize.  The last month and a half has been I-N-S-A-N-E with the CRCT going on (our state testing here in GA) and then school wrapping up.  Ugh, so much going on, so much stress.  Its over now, though, and I am soooo ready for summer.  I hope to do much better about sharing good deals we find and, hopefully, help all of you learn a little more and save some money for your family as well. :)

So.  As usual, I visited Southern Savers on Thursday afternoon/early evening so I could check out the deals and plan out my trips.  I then spent Friday night and Saturday afternoon (when I could find a minute here or there) finding and clipping the coupons that match the deals.  In case you don't remember, I am NOT a coupon clipper.  I file every week's coupon inserts (I buy the "double coupon" edition so I have extras) in its own manila folder in a file box that has a handle on it.   That way I can clip upstairs or downstairs...wherever is more peaceful so I can focus.

I got up early this morning (Sunday) and headed to Rite Aid.  The reason I start at Rite-Aid is that its farther from church AND tends to get busier after 9 am.  The CVS I visit is not far from church, so I head to Rite Aid first, then CVS, then straight to church.  ANYWAY.  I was specifically heading to Rite Aid this morning because we were in need of TP and cat litter (which they didn't have!  ugh!), something we definitely needed.  I already had $5 +UP rewards from last week's visit, so while I knew I would spend a little, it would help having those +UP rewards to use like store credit. :)  So, here's how it went:

Transaction #1:
4 bottles of Arm & Hammer detergent: B1G1 50% off at.$6.99 each
(got 2 bottles for $6.99 each and the other two for $3.50 each)
Subtotal: $20.98
Coupons:  (2) $1 off 2 bottles of Arm & Hammer liquid detergent
+UP Rewards:  $5
Grand total after coupons and sales tax: $15.45
Received $10 +UP rewards for spending $20 before coupons on Arm & Hammer products

Transaction #2:
2 packs of 20 rolls of Scott bathroom tissue: $12.97 each
1 pack of 216 Huggies baby wipes: $6.97
1 refillable Huggies baby wipe packs: $1.99
Subtotal: $34.90
Coupons: (3) $1 off Scott bathroom tissue -- one from Rite Aid's Video Values site, two manufacturer; one $0.50 off Huggies Wipes; one $3 off $15 purchase (from code at bottom of previous week's receipt)
+UP rewards: $10 from transaction #1
Grand total after coupons and sales tax: $20.63
Received $10 +UP rewards for my next visit!

So, for a grand total of $36.08 I got 40 rolls of TP, a huge bag of Huggies wipes, a travel pack of wipes, and 4 bottles of Arm & Hammer laundry detergent.  That averages out to be $4.01 per item.  Not too shabby, I don't think!  Also, I have $10 to use next time, so that's cool, too!
*************************************************
Now, for my CVS trip.  I spent less than $8 there and left with $6.99 ECB, so I was excited about that trip!  Here's what happened:

Transaction #1:
Benadryl Anti-Itch Cream (because itchy bug bites STINK!): $7.89
Used $4 ECB from last week's visit
Used $1 off coupon from last week's paper
Grand total after coupons and sales tax: $3.44
Received $3 ECB for spending at least $7 on anti-itch products

Transaction #2:
Bic Soleil Shimmer razor system: $6.99
Used $3 ECB from transaction #1
Used a $3 off coupon from last week's paper
Grand total after coupons and sales tax: $1.48
Received  $3 ECB for buying the razor


Transaction #3:
Preparation H wipes (Hey, don't judge!  Anyone who has given birth knows why I buy these!): $3.99
Used $2 off coupon (printable)
Grand total after coupon and sales tax: $2.27
Received $3.99 ECB for buying the wipes

I couldn't use the $3 ECB on transaction #3 because the total was less than $3!  Doesn't bother me, because that means I have more to use next time! :)  So, how about you?  Find any good deals this week?

Publix deals!

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to share some of the new Publix deals for this week...I will be heading out there before school in the morning (bright and early!) so I can get the freebies and cheapies before the crazies get up.  (Who am I kidding?  They'll probably be there before me!)  Anyway...if anyone is interested, Publix has the following deals going on:


Wish Bone dressing - B1G1free for $2.73 (or you can buy one for $1.36).  Use a Publix $1 off coupon matched with a manufacturer coupon for $1 off and you will pay just 36 cents!  I happen to have two of each, so I will be buying 2 bottles.

Ronzoni pasta - B1G1free for $1.39 (or one for 69 cents).  Use a manufacturer's coupon for $1 off 2, and you end up paying 39 cents for both.  I have two of these coupons, so I will be buying 4 boxes.

Chinet Napkins (40-90 count) - B1G1free for $2.15 (or one for $1.07).  Use a manufacturer's coupon for $1 off and you pay just 7 cents per pack!  We have a T-ball team pizza party coming up and I volunteered to bring paper products, so you'd better believe I will be picking these up!  I have two coupons, so I will be buying 2 packs for 14 cents. Nice!

Pedigree Dentastix for Dogs - B1G1free for $3 (or one for $1.50).  Ruby (the doberman) looooves to chew stuff and has already ruined/eaten/obliterated several yard toys and food/water bowls.  I will definitely be picking these up.  I have FOUR Publix coupons (and four manufacturer's coupons to match) that each give me $1 off.  Since they are $1.50 each and I will be using two $1 off coupons on each (meaning I get $2 off each pack), they are actually paying me 50 cents to take them out of the store.  LOVE IT.

Oh, and the penny item this week is Publix Spaghetti Sauce!  You can bet I will be picking up some sauce for a penny! :)

So anyway, I didn't want to keep these super-fabulous freebies/cheapies to myself...Go HERE to see the whole list of Publix deals and print some coupons if you want to head out and pick up some things yourself!

Happy couponing!

Rite-Aid Deals!

I had probably my best Rite-Aid visit *ever* this afternoon!  I had my kids with me so it was a bit crazy and chaotic, but still...I got out with a great deal of savings!  For all the items you see at the left, I paid a total of $22.28!  I walked out with two water guns and two boxes of Goldfish crackers that I did not plan on buying, but hey...it kept the kids happy so it was worth it! :)

So anyway, for those interested, here's how I did it...

Transaction #1:
Purex - $1.97
Aleve (80 count) - $12.99
Motrin PM (3 bottles) - $5.99 each
Water guns (2) - $0.99 (on sale - B1G1 free)
Subtotal (before coupons/+UP rewards):  $33.92
Coupons/+UP rewards used:
$1 off Purex
$2 off Aleve
$1 off Motrin PM products (used 3 of these)
$3 off a $15 purchase (Rite-Aid coupon, printed after taking the customer service survey...look on the bottom of the receipt to find out how to get these!)
$3 off $15 purchase (yep, used 2!)
$1 off non-prescription purchase...printed from Rite Aid's Video Values website (http://riteaid.adperk.com)
$1 off non-prescription purchase (yep, I had two!)
10% off for having 125 wellness+ points
$5 +UP rewards from a previous visit

GRAND TOTAL (after sales tax): $13.33!

I also received $10 +UP rewards for spending $25 (before coupons) on Motrin & Aleve products, so you could say I got away with spending $2.13 for all those items!

Transaction #2:
(2) packs of Huggies Pull-Ups - $10 each
Subtotal (before coupons/+UP rewards): $20
Coupons/+UP rewards used:
$2 off Huggies Pull-Ups
$2 off Huggies Pull-Ups
$3 off $15 purchase
$10 +UP rewards from transaction #1

GRAND TOTAL (after sales tax): $4.13!

I also got back $5 +UP rewards for spending $20 (before coupons) on Huggies products!

Transaction #3:
(6) tubes of Aquafresh toothpaste - $2.50 each

(I plan to donate these to tornado relief efforts through my church...I wouldn't normally buy 6 tubes of toothpaste!)

(2) Goldfish crackers mini-boxes - $0.99 each
Subtotal (before coupons/+UP rewards:  $16.98
Coupons/+UP rewards used:
(4) $1 off Aquafresh product
$3 off $15 purchase
$1 off non-prescription purchase
$5 +UP rewards from transaction #2

GRAND TOTAL (after sales tax):  $4.82!

Again, I received $5 +UP (to save for my next visit) for buying $15 worth of Aquafresh products!

So...anyone else have good luck out there today?  Please share your stories and tips for savings!

Why I love Rite-Aid

*Disclaimer:  I have not been paid a single penny for the following rave review of Rite-Aid.  The coupons and super savings I earn every week are enough, but dude...if anyone out there wants me to do a commercial?  I am your girl!!

Rite-Aid is quickly becoming my favorite store.  Neck & neck with CVS, in fact.  At times I just can't decide which one I love more.  Today, though, I'm feeling the love for Rite-Aid and just have to share.

Rite-Aid has a program (the wellness+ program) which is set up much like CVS' Extra Care program.  You sign up, get a card that you put on your keychain, and you're off.  The +UP bucks are like store credit, also very much like ECB (Extra Care Bucks) at CVS.

What I especially love about Rite-Aid, that sets them apart from CVS is the fact that they have this awesome website (the video values site, found at http://riteaid.adperk.com).  The coupons you find here can be combined with manufacturer coupons to save even MORE on the items you buy.  Another awesome thing about Rite-Aid is that at the bottom of every receipt, they print a code to use to earn $3 off your next $15 purchase.  I have used more of these than I can count, and its awesome. I love that there are so many ways to save money at Rite-Aid.  Their customer service is always top-notch, too.  My most visited CVS is great -- they know me by name in there and are always so patient with me and help me figure out how to best arrange my transactions so I same the most money -- but not every CVS is awesome.  I've had some experiences where I felt like I was an annoyance and they were not helpful at all.  Not so at Rite-Aid.  No matter which store I visit, I always feel welcome and everyone is always so helpful and patient with me and my coupons. :)

I happen to have an awesome trip planned for tomorrow, so stay tuned for an update on how well I can do!

Publix - awesome deal on Tidy Cats cat litter!

So I think everyone that knows us knows that we have three adult cats in the house, one of which just gave birth to FIVE kittens one month ago.  Needless to say, when I spotted this awesome deal on Tidy Cats cat litter, I jumped on it like white on rice!

This week, Publix has a deal that's nearly unbelievable.  10-lb bags are B1G1 free for $2.49 (making them $1.24 apiece).  Combined with the $1.10 off coupon I found on Southern Savers, that price comes down to 14 cents per bag.  I went to Publix this morning and was able to get SEVEN bags for a grand total of 98 cents!

The easiest way to tell you how to find the coupon to print is to send you over to Southern Savers, look for the "Coupon Database" icon, and then search for the Tidy Cats coupon.  Print as many coupons as you can!  We were able to print 7, obviously, between our desktop computer, Chris' laptop, and my laptop.  (Many coupon sites have limits on how many times you can print a coupon...printing from several different computers kind of tricks the website, since the print request is coming from different IP addresses.)

If you're a cat owner, this might be one deal that is definitely looking into! Good luck!  Please share if you are finding any more awesome bargains out there!

Back to Bargain Hunting!

Ahhh...After a week off due to no coupons in the Easter Sunday paper and a serious lack of exciting deals, I am happy to say I was able to make a couple of very nice visits to CVS and Rite-Aid this morning. :)

Once again, Chris got the kids up and ready while I went and did my shopping before church.  My first stop was Rite-Aid (after picking up this morning's double coupon edition of the paper, of course).  I had three transactions this morning.  All in all I spent $12.88 and saved $26.42!  Here's what I got:

My first transaction went like this:
Charmin (16 rolls):  $7.49 w/card
Nivea Self-Tanning Lotion:  $9.99
Coupons:  $2 off Nivea lotion, $10 +UP rewards from previous visit
Grand total:  $6.70
Got back $5 +UP rewards for buying the Nivea self-tanning lotion.

Second transaction:
Gillette Fusion Powerglide Razor:  $9.99 w/card
Dove Men's Deodorant: $3.99 w/card
Coupons:  $4 off Gillette razor, $5 +UP rewards from trans. #1
Grand total:  $5.96
Got back $3 +UP rewards for buying the deodorant AND $5 +UP rewards for buying the razor!  That's $8 back for after spending just under $6!!

Third transaction:
Raisin Bran: $1.99 w/card
Corn Pops: $1.99 w/card
(2) Powerade Zero drinks: $0.88 each w/card
Lance Cheese & Peanut Butter crackers (6 pack): $1.00 w/card
Excedrin Extra Strength (24 count): $1.99 w/card
Coupons: $8 +UP rewards from transaction #2, B1G1 free Powerade Zero, $0.55 off Lance crackers, $1 off 2 Kellogg's cereals, $1 off Excedrin 20-24 count
Grand total: $0.22

After I finished up at Rite-Aid, I headed down the street to CVS!  Once again, I had three transactions.  I spent a total of  $18.11 and saved $27.26!  Here's what I brought home:

First transaction:
Colgate MaxFresh toothpaste: $2.77 w/card
Ivory Soap (3 pack): $0.99 w/card
Coupons: $1 off Colgate toothpaste, $0.50 off Ivory soap
Grand total: $2.52
Got back $2.77 ECB for buying the toothpaste

Second transaction:
(2) Schick Intuition razor cartridges: $11.99 each
Coupons: $2 off Schick Intuition cartridges, $3 off Schick Intuition cartridges, $6 ECB from previous visit, $2.77 ECB from transaction #1
Grand total: $11.89
Got back $5 ECB for buying $15 worth of Schick products

Third transaction:
Cascade dish detergent: $4 w/card
(2) Mr. Clean Magic Eraser 2-packs: $3 each w/card
Coupons: $1.50 off 2 Mr. Clean products, $0.50 off Cascade item, $5 ECB from transaction #2
Grand total: $3.70
Got back $3 ECB to save for my next visit!

 Yep, after a couple of weeks off, it feels good to be back in the game. :)  How about you?  Any good deals you've found?

I Love a Good Contest!

Hello Couponing Friends! I must say I am super excited to add my two cents worth to Anna and Chris' site! First, let me say, I am by no means an extreme couponer. However, my mother informed today that I am becoming one! I simply try to find the best deals with one salary. I will say that I have gotten in quiet a routine of shopping now, and when I do a "big" shop every 3 weeks I save no less that $95. So I am working out the kinks and finding out what works for my family, but I am having a blast doing it! With that said my next BIG shopping is a good week or so away, but I am excited with my CVS and Target adventures today.

CVS: Spent $12.89; Saved $25.81....What did I buy?

(2) Bottles of Nivea Body Wash on sale for $3.88 (had 2 $3.00 off coupons). Paid $1.76 for both

(2) Bottles of Head and Shoulders on sale for $4.99 (had a BOGO coupon). Paid $4.99 for both

(1) 3 Pack of Listerin Breath Freshner Strips on sale for $1.00 (5 for 5) (had a .50 coupon). Paid .50 for them.

(1) 6 Pack of Scott Mega Papertowels on sale for $4.98 (Reg. 7.39) (had a $1.00 coupon). Paid $3.98 for the 6 pack!

****Got $2.00 in extra care bucks *****

So at CVS was a hit.....have a few other coupons to go back and try to stock up on some goodies tomorrow....

Target: Spent .56 (YES .56!); Saved $5.36.....

(2) Bottles of Heinz Ketchup (Facebook had a coupon today...First 50,000 people got a $2.00 off coupon) The ketchup was on sale for $1.71 (had (2) $2.00 off coupons)....Target had to pay me!

(2) Easter Eggs filled with M & M's priced at .99 a piece (had $1.00 off coupon for 2)

This my friends is just the beginning. Am going to hit up another CVS tomorrow...

Rite-Aid vs. CVS! And the Winner Is...

Woot!  This morning I got up extra early (for a Sunday) and got dressed, then headed to the drug stores before church, leaving everyone still asleep in their beds. Chris is so good to me...I appreciate his willingness to get up with the kids and get them dressed and ready for church so I could go do my drug store shopping early in the morning.  He's awesome. :)

So anyway, I got up and left the house @ 7:45 am and headed out to Rite-Aid.  Armed with my +UP rewards, Rite-Aid coupons, and matching manufacturer coupons, I was ready to save some cash!  Here's what I bought:

4 Glade Candles (to be used as gifts): $2.50 each
2 Glade Aerosol Air Fresheners: $2.50 each
1 Febreze Set & Refresh Air Freshener: $2.50
1 Febreze Air Effects Air Freshener: $2.50
2 bottles of Windex: $2.50 each
2 packs of Dixie paper plates: $3.99 (B1G1 free)
1 box of Ziploc Slider bags: $2.50
Total before coupons: $31.49

I had $5 +UP rewards from my last visit, and I had $15 in coupons (both Rite-Aid coupons, from the adperk website, AND manufacturer coupons -- I matched them up with the help of Jenny from Southern Savers, of course!), so my grand total (including tax) was $13.68.  (That's like saying I paid $1.06 for each item!)  I got $10 +UP rewards for spending $30 (before coupons) on household items, so its kinda like I got all that stuff for only $3.68.

Oh!  And on the bottom of my receipt, there's a code to go the the Rite-Aid website, take a survey about their customer service, and get $3 off my next purchase of $15 or more.  SWEET.  I am *so* doing that.

After leaving Rite-Aid, I stopped at my favorite little gas station (the only one I know of that carries my beloved double coupon edition of the paper) and picked one up.  Today the regular paper has double coupons, so the double coupon paper has FOUR inserts!  WOOHOO!!

Ok, so after that little stop, I headed on down to CVS.  I didn't do as well as I had hoped at CVS today because one of my coupons (a $5 off $40 purchase) didn't scan...It came up that it had already been used, which was weird.  Turned out, it was actually expired.  Grrr. I hate when that happens.  So anyway, I had piled all my stuff into one big transaction so I could use the $5 off a $40 purchase coupon and then didn't get to use it.  Oh well.  Anyway, I think I still did okay. Here's what I got at CVS:

2 tubes of Maybelline mascara: $5.89 each
1 bag of Easter basket grass: $0.99
1 PAAS Easter egg decorating kit: $1.99
1 CVS Green bag tag: $0.99
1 GE Energy Smart light bulb: $2.99
18 rolls of Cottonelle TP: $8.99
CVS Training Pants: $10.99
Total before ECB and coupons: $38.63

I had $10 ECB from last week, and I had $10.50 in coupons, so my grand total with sales tax was $19.40. That's really not too bad, considering nearly $11 of that was training pants that were not on sale!  I also got back $16 worth of ECB, so its kind of like I paid $3.40 for all of this.  Not too shabby, eh?

*I know you see Dr. Pepper and Sprite in that picture.  Here's what happened.  I was running low on time...I had planned to take advantage of the Coke products deal...Apparently it didn't include Dr. P or Sprite.  I paid $4.99 for each of those 12-packs!  No way is that gonna happen.  Those bad boys are going back to the store this afternoon and I'm getting my $20 bucks back!

So...what do you think?  Which store won today -- Rite-Aid or CVS?  Where did I get the better deals?  Let me know if you got some good deals somewhere else!  I always love hearing other peoples' success stories, so please share! :)

ETA: I returned the Dr. Pepper & Sprite, so I got my $20 back, and I went ahead and got the Coke products.  I got 4 12-packs for $13.  I used ECB to pay for them, so I ended up only paying $0.27 for them.  Woohoo!  I also got $3  ECB in return, so I now have $6 ECB for next week.  Nice. :)

Back from a Break!

I'm baaaack! :)  Since I am *not* an extreme couponer, I did not do my usual Sunday drugstore deals last week.  I took a week off because, frankly, we didn't really need anything and the deals weren't so amazing that I just had to get out there and take advantage of them.  So there!  See?  I am not an "organized hoarder" like the crazy people on TLC.

This week, however, I am totally back in the game.  I am planning to hit up the CVS and Rite-Aid tomorrow.  CVS is gonna be good because I have $10 ECB to start with, and Rite-Aid is just having some awesome freebie deals and those deals, combined with my $5 +UP rewards from a couple of weeks ago, will make for a really good shopping trip.

First, you should really check out this week's CVS deals and Rite-Aid deals from my favorite couponing source...Southern Savers!

Now, here's my plan for CVS:  I'm going to pick up some Easter basket grass, a PAAS egg decorating kit, a Green bag tag, a GE Energy Smart light bulb, (3) 12-packs of Coke products, 2 tubes of Maybelline Mascara, 18 rolls of Cottonelle TP, and a pack of Pull-Ups.  My total (before coupons and tax) would be $46.77...but with the $10 ECB and coupons I have, I will pay only $24.27 plus tax and get back $13.97 ECB for next week (so its kinda like paying only $10.30 for all of it).  Nice!

Rite-Aid will be even better!  They are having a sale where if you buy $30 worth of certain household items you will earn $10 +UP rewards.  I am planning to take advantage of this and buy a can of Lysol Neutra Air, 2 bottles of Windex, some Purex 3-in-1 laundry sheets, 2 cans of Febreze Air Effects, some Lysol toilet bowl cleaner, a box of Ziploc bags, 2 cans of Glade aerosol, and 2 Glade candles.  My total for all of this (before coupons or tax) would be $31.47...but with my $5 +UP rewards and my Rite-Aid coupons (through the adperk website) matched with manufacturer coupons, I will pay only $8.72 plus tax AND I will get $10 +UP rewards back (so its kinda like they're paying me $1.28 to take it out of the store)!!!

Of course, by the time I get there after church...who knows what will be there and what will happen.  Of course I will post an update, but this is why I have learned to take ALL my coupons with me, not just the ones I plan to use.  :)  For example, I have a ton of extra coupons cut out for the Rite-Aid products, just in case the items I plan to buy are sold out.  There were a ton of other items I could buy to reach the $30 limit and if I can use coupons to buy those items, I will.

Anyone else planning to hit the drug stores tomorrow??  Let me know if you have a strategy that works for you!

TLC's Extreme Couponing...my thoughts

I've heard and read a lot about TLC's show Extreme Couponing and, after watching several episodes, I feel like I can now write a fair and balanced review. (Just call me Fox News, y'all!)

So, here goes.  First of all, there is *no way* these stores would allow someone to stand in line and separate their purchases in up to 18 separate transactions.  18??  And its pretty obvious that these stores are blatantly breaking their own coupon policies in order to be shown on TV.  This is so misleading because you know there are going to be those people who try to emulate these crazy ladies and get out there trying to use a thousand different coupons and they're gonna be mad when they can't.

I am NOT an "extreme couponer."  I do love a good deal.  I stock up on items we use or will use in the near future when they are on sale (things like TP, paper towels, kleenex, diapers, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc) but I don't have a stockpile or anything.  I read several couponing blogs and this article by Traci (Southern Coupon Belle) hit the nail on the head for me.  I totally agree with her about the "Golden Rule of Couponing."  I *never* take the last item on the shelf.  I rarely ever take more than two of anything.  (Those women on the show who took 65 bottles of mustard or 54 bottles of Maalox??  That's just rude and selfish!)  You really should just go read that article.  She says it much better than I do. :)

Anyway...enough of that.  Happy couponing!  And remember:  Use coupons unto others as you would have them use coupons unto you!

More Drug Store Deals!

Today I had to go out to get my hair cut  so I decided to get some coupons together and stop by Walgreens & Rite-Aid to pick up some last-minute deals before the new sales start on Sunday!*  No, I'm not addicted...I just can't resist a good deal. :)


First I went to Walgreens.  According to their ad, Walgreens was giving back $2 RR (Register Rewards) when you bought any 2 Herbal Essences, Aussie, or Pantene products, which were on sale for $3.50 each.  I already had some Herbal Essences conditioner at home, so I picked up some shampoo and mousse.  I had a coupon that made it B1G1 free, so I ended up paying $3.94 for the shampoo and mousse.  I then got the $2 RR after my receipt printed.

Now, for my second transaction.  With all my spring cleaning this week, I was actually starting to use up some cleaning supplies.  I decided to take advantage of the advertised deal that stated that if I bought $10 worth of cleaning products I would get $3 RR back.  I bought 2 bottles of Mr. Clean All-Purpose cleaner, and two 2-packs of Magic Erasers.  (I love those things!)  My subtotal for these items was $10.83.  I used three coupons:  $1 off any 2 Mr. Clean products, $0.75 Magic Eraser, and $0.75 off Mr. Clean floor cleaner.  Since I had four items, I was also able to use the $2 RR I earned from the first transaction, so that brought my total down to $6.45, and I got $3 RR back after my receipt printed.  All in all, I spent $10.39 and I already have $3 to put toward my next purchase.

After I left Walgreens, I headed over to Rite-Aid.  I was just there a couple of days ago but they'd been restocked, so I was able to get a couple of things I'd missed out on earlier, which was cool. 

First, I picked up the hairbands.  These were on sale for $1.99 w/the +wellness card and when you bought them, you'd get $1.99 +UP rewards, which kinda makes them FREE! :)  I bought them first, so that cost me $2.14, then I got $1.99 +UP back.

For my second transaction, I bought a bottle of Garnier shampoo.  On my Garnier transaction from a couple of days ago, I hadn't realized that the products were BIGI 50% off, so my total hadn't actually been $15, so I had not gotten the $5 +UP back.  I was only $1.99 off from reaching it, though, so I bought the bottle of shampoo (which was $3.99), used a $1 off coupon and the $1.99 +UP  rewards, which made my total $1.28.  Now that the computer detected that I had spent $15 on Garnier products within the week, I got my $5 +UP rewards.  Nice!

On my third transaction, I decided to go for the advertised Burt's Bees deal.  If you spent $15 on Burt's Bees products, you would get $5 +UP rewards back.  Well, if you remember...Rite-Aid has this awesome website where you can watch these short advertisement videos and get store coupons.  If you can match these with manufacturer coupons, you can save even more!  I watched several of these videos and got Rite-Aid coupons for Burt's Bees Lip Products and Lotions and a $2 off $10 Burt's Bees purchase.  After using a $2 off lotion, $1 off lip item, the $2 off $10 purchase coupon, and the $5 +UP rewards from my 2nd transaction, my total was $8.17, and I got back $5 +UP rewards to use next time I go.  Not too bad!  All in all, I paid $11.59 for the above pictured items and got $5 back in store credit. :)

*Thursday night is when Jenny at Southern Savers publishes the upcoming deals for the drugstores, so keep your eyes open and check her site tonight!  I will be at a girls' sleepover at my church tonight so I will be going through withdrawal, but you'd better believe I will be scouring the deals and developing my plan for Sunday as soon as I get home on Friday!  (Well, after I get some rest, that is...)

Rockin' It At Rite-Aid!

Today I made a trip out to Rite-Aid!  I know, I know...I should have gone on Sunday, since that's when the good deals begin and that's when I could have made sure to get the stuff I really wanted before it got cleaned out, but oh well.  I think I still came away with some really good deals.

Here's a picture of what I left with:

Had I not had coupons or a store loyalty card (the +wellness card), I would have spent $5.49 for the Listerine, $6.49 for the Garnier face cleansing towelettes, $4.49 each for the Garnier Anti-humidity smoothing milk and $1.49 each for the 4 packs of Carefree pantyliners.  That's a total of $26.92.

You surely know me better by now, though!  Of course I have the Rite-Aid card, and carry coupons with me everywhere.  I especially like to visit their website: http://www.riteaid.adperk.com and watch the ad videos there to earn extra store coupons to match with manufacturer coupons, and save even more!  This time, I had a Rite-Aid coupon to match with a manufacturer coupon for the Listerine, making it super cheap.  I saved more than 50% today with my coupons and store card, and this is how it happened:

Transaction #1:
Listerine.................................$3.99 w/+wellness card
-$1.00 store coupon (from watching videos on adperk site)
-$1.00 manufacturer coupon (printable)
Carefree pantyliners.......4 for $5.00 w/+wellness card
-$1.00 off Carefree product
-$0.50 off Carefree product
-$0.50 off Carefree product
-$0.50 off carefree product
Grand Total after coupons (including tax):  $5.18
Received $2 +UP  ($1 for buying the Listerine, $1 for buying the pantyliners)

Transaction #2:
Garnier Face Cleanser (Towelettes).........$6.49
-$2.00 off Garnier Cleanser
(2) Garnier Anti-Humidity Hair Smoothing Milk.........$4.49 each
-$1.00 off Garnier hair stylant
-$1.00 off Garnier hair stylant
-$2.00 off $10 Rite-Aid beauty purchase
-$2 +UP rewards (from transaction #1)
Grand Total (including tax): $6.83
Received $5 +UP (for spending $15 on Garnier products)

So, as you see...by using my coupons and +wellness card, I saved about 55% today at Rite-Aid!  $12.01 out-of-pocket is a much better deal than $26.92!  I hope this helps!  Let me know if you have any questions!

A Word About Walgreens...

I had a question about shopping at Walgreens yeaterday, and I wanted to address it.  First of all, YES you can get great deals at Walgreens just like you can at CVS and Rite-Aid.  At Walgreens, you don't have to have a store loyalty card, either, so don't worry about having to add yet another of those little cards to your already massive key chain. :)  The Register Rewards (that's what they call them) print up automatically after your purchase of select items, just like Extra Care Bucks (ECB) print up at the bottom of your receipt at CVS.  Nice!

However.

I'm not sure if this is a nationwide Walgreens policy, but at least at every Walgreens I've been to here in my area here in Georgia, they require that you have an equal number of items that you're purchasing and coupons or RR (Register Rewards).  This is very different than CVS' policy. 

At CVS, I can go (like I did yesterday) and buy 4 items (a pack of diapers, two packs of TP, and a bottle of dish soap), and use 7 coupons (3 ECB credits, a $5 off coupon, a $3 diaper coupon, a $0.25 off TP coupon, and a $1 off dish soap coupon) with no problem.  This would not be allowed at Walgreens.  At Walgreens, I would have to buy 3 extra small "filler" items in order to be able to use the three extra coupons.  I'd probably pick up maybe the cheapest gum or candy I could find, but still...Its just a kink in the system that you have to get used to.

Walgreens is not as close to my house as the other stores (CVS and Rite-Aid), but since I know it is more convenient for many of you who are reading this, I am going to make a point to get out there sometime this week so I can get together an example of how I used the RR (Register Rewards) and coupons to save some cash!  I'll do the same for Rite-Aid as well, so stay tuned. Already working on those coupons...

CVS Sunday!

OK, so if you read my post from yesterday (no, not Chris' Publix post...my CVS post!), you may remember my plan.  If not, click on that link and you'll see what I planned to do/buy/save.  Well, the thing about plans are that they don't always come through.  See, my local paper didn't have the Charmin coupon that was posted on Southern Savers, so I couldn't use that, and CVS was already cleaned out of the GUM-eez flossers by the time I got there after church.  Not that I necessarily needed or wanted flossers, but I was excited to get the $4 ECB that I would have gotten from buying them for 50 cents (after coupons)  and use them towards buying the diapers and toilet paper that I *did* want and need, but whatevs...

Here's what actually did end up happening on today's trip:

Transaction 1:
(2) Oral-B Advantage toothbrushes.....$2.99 each
(2)  M&M-filled Easter eggs................$0.99 each
Coupons: B1G1 Oral-B toothbrush...-$2.99
               $2 off Oral-B toothbrush....-$2.00
               $2 off two Mars candies.....-$2.00
Grand total (including tax):.............$1.47
ECB received: $1.98 ($0.99 per toothbrush)

Transaction #2:
Pampers (70-count)......................$18.99
(2) Charmin TP (9 rolls)................$5.49 each
Dawn Hand Renewal dish soap.....$0.99
Coupons: $5 off $25 purchase.....-$5.00
                ECB...........................-$3.50
                ECB...........................-$5.00
                $0.25 off Charmin......-$0.25
                $1.00 off Dawn..........-$1.00
                $3.00 off Pampers......-$3.00
Grand total: (including tax):.....$12.81
ECB received: $10 (for buying $30 worth of participating products--the Pampers, Charmin, & Dawn)

All in all, I think a grand total of $14.28 out-of-pocket is a really good deal for 2 toothbrushes, 70 Pampers diapers, 18 rolls of TP, 1 bottle of dish soap, and 2 Easter eggs. :)  Plus, I got $10 of store credit for next time, so that makes the deal even sweeter.  Let me know if you have any questions!

P.S. -- I got myself another double coupon edition of the Sunday paper today!  Chris and I are gonna cancel our newspaper subscription and just go get this double coupon edition, I do believe!

Party at Publix!

As you know, Anna does her couponing at CVS...She saves us tons of money on things like medicine and health & beauty supplies. Well, I go once a week to our local Publix and do our grocery shopping. The Coupon Competition title of this blog is misleading because there really is no competition between me and Anna. Her savings at CVS blow my savings at Publix away!

That being said, through www.southernsavers.com we have been able to reduce our grocery bill to less than half of what it used to be by shopping at both Publix and CVS. We also have stocked up on several items, so if you are in need of paper towels, toothpaste, instant mashed potatoes, or bleach let us know...We can definitely make a gift basket for you! Our pantry and freezer are both full and we have been blessed by doing this coupon thing.

So anyhow, Publix....I am sure one day Anna (who is more into the details) will give you guys a step-by-step approach on how to save a ton at money at Publix. I am a simple man so I will tell you what I do each week and hopefully that will help you guys out.

What I do every week before I go to Publix is go to Southern Savers and get my grocery list ready for my trip. Click on the Publix tab at the top of the page and find their weekly ad. I think most Publix ads begin on Thursdays like mine does here. Look at each deal (especially the buy one get one free deals!) and click on what you want and/or need. The Southern Savers Lady (her name is Jenny! -- Anna) puts an acorn icon besides what she thinks is an outstanding deal. Go thru the list, click on each item that you want, and at the end you can print your grocery list.

When you print your grocery list, you will find that you can print coupons from your list. Print out all your coupons and/or go find any coupons you might have on file that you got thru the RP (Red Plum) or SS (Smart Source) inserts in the Sunday newspapers. Once you get your coupons together (this is the short, short version) put them in order of the store layout. For example, I put any coupons I have for deli (which are rare) and dry goods first. I put medicines and dairy last because they are at the other end of the store. This saves time and headaches of going thru all your coupons.

One other thing I would recommend is not doing too much at the beginning. I tried to do it all at once and I just got a big headache. My first time doing this, I wasn't very organized and I literally stopped in the middle of the dry goods aisle for 15 minutes and got even more confused. I am surprised that Publix did not call security to take me away.

It takes time and it takes preparation. At first, you will likely still need to buy your staples at the Great Satan (Walmart) or Target, which actually has some good deals (Yes it does!  See my post here! -- Anna). But, after about 6-8 weeks of keeping it simple, your grocery list will shrink dramatically and you will never have to go to Walmart again. Thank you, Lord! So, start off small...Keep it simple and (I can't believe I am saying this), organization is the key.

That is just a few tips to start you off at Publix. This week I bought $86.80 of groceries for $33.13 which is a 62% savings! Not a bad week at all, but I still can't compete with God's gift to couponing (Anna, aka Mrs. CVS!)..But, I did get several items free or at a steep discount.  Here are some of those items:

10 Packs of Kool-Aid (free)

Theraflu 24 pack Warming Relief Caplets (free with a rebate)

Transformers, Spongebob, and Spiderman fruit snacks- 79 cents each

Club Crackers- $1.44

Weight Watchers Ice Cream Bars- $1.49

Lysol Disinfecting Wipes 80 count (the big ones) $1.99

Kettle Chips - $1.45

A lot of snacks and junk last week (see pic below), but still overall a very good week. There are great deals like this every week. Hope this gets you started.....Happy shopping!

Chris

Sunday's on the way!

Woohoo! Its almost Sunday!

I look forward to Sunday for two major reasons...First, because I absolutely l-o-v-e my church.  The small group is just fantastic, and the worship is amazing.  God is truly in that place.  Secondly, because Sunday is the day the drugstores start their sales!  Heehee! :)

Thursday night is when Jenny at Southern Savers gets the preview for the upcoming sales at CVS, Walgreens & Rite-Aid, so I usually get online after the kids go to bed and look at the deals to see if its worth going.  This week, I decided it would be worth a trip to CVS!  Here's a link to the CVS deals for this week if you're interested in checking it out!

Here's what I'm planning to get and how I'm planning to do it:

I'm starting with $5 in Extra Care Bucks (from my last visit), and because I am a Facebook fan of CVS, I got an email with an extra coupon for $5 off a $25 purchase (which is perfect for this week's deal) AND an extra $3.50 ECB that will print off at the coupon center at CVS or at the bottom of your receipt.  (I am planning to print them from the coupon center as soon as I get there, since I plan to use them on my first transaction.)

Transaction 1:
(2) Oral-B toothbrushes                       $2.99 each
(2) GUM-eez flossers 75-150 count     $2.00 each
Total (before coupons):                     $9.98 (tax not included)
Coupons:  B1G1 Oral-B (from 3/13)        -2.99
                 $2 off Oral-B toothbrush         -2.00
(2) 0.75 off GUM-eez flossers (printable) -1.50
                   ECB (from email)                  -3.50
GRAND TOTAL:  Well...If I didn't have to pay sales tax, they would actually owe me a penny. :)  Since I will have to pay tax on this stuff, though, I'll end up paying something like $0.46.  Crazy, huh? Oh, and after only paying 46 cents, I will also get back $5.98 in ECB for buying these specific items.  So its kinda like I'm getting paid to take this stuff out of their store.

Now, for my next transaction...
Transaction #2 is going to be based on a deal that requires you to buy $30 worth of certain items in order to get $10 of ECB back.  (This is where the $5 coupon that I got through email will really come in handy!)  I have a little one who is still in diapers, so I am totally going for the Pampers.  Here's what I'm planning to do:

Pampers (48-76 count)   $18.99
(2) Charmin TP               $ 5.49 each
Dawn dish soap              $  0.99
Total (before coupons):   $30.96 (tax not included)
Coupons:  $3 off Pampers (4/3)   -3.00
                $1/2 Charmin TP         -1.00
                $1 off Dawn                -1.00
                $5 off $25 purchase     -5.00
                ECB (from trans#1)     -5.98
                ECB (prior visit)          -5.00
GRAND TOTAL: $9.98 (plus tax)!!  (Oh, and I will also get the $10 ECB for spending $30 --before coupons and ECB--on these products!)  That $10 ECB will serve me well on future trips to CVS. :)

I hope this helps a bit...Let me know if you're out there hoping to make a trip and have a bit of success yourself!