For you Jen....

Not too shabby...

56 tugaboo diapers
1 Huggies Jumbo pack, Size 1
Viva Paper towels - 8 pack
7 - Scott TP 4 pack (so 28 rolls)
1 Birthday card
Cramp 911 Roll on (free filler to get to $25)
Back Aid (free filler to get to $25)
2 cases of RA water

OOP - 24.44 (tax - 2.88)
RA up rewards - $2
Rite Aid Single Check Rebates -
6.99 for cramp 911
3.49 for back aid
5.00 for Kimberley Clark products

Total cost - $6.96!

Rite Aid Rocks!

It's been a while, but this is a week worth writing about. I also did well at CVS, but Rite Aid was awesome this week! Here's what happened. Rite Aid had an in-ad coupon for $4 off Ace products, no restrictions. Well the single Ice pack sells for $1.29. To good to be true? Nope. The coupon worked with no beeps. I only had one cashier tell me no. Now before you think I went on a rampage and bought out all the stores in my area, the word hit Hip to Save on Tuesday. I started looking on Wednesday. I did several transactions Wed-Sat. I used the overage and other q's to my advantage, got some items we needed around the house and some we didn't need (the candy lol) and some items that I will be needing once the baby comes that there are never coupons for (nursing pads). Because I used SO many coupons and did so many transacations, I am just going to list all I got and total costs!

15 Ace instant ice packs
1 Gallon whole milk
1 Gallon 2% milk
4 Snickers bars
6 Milky ways
2 Toddler toothpastes (because I bought these on Sat I was able to get the B1G1 price available today)
12 Sobe waters
1 60 ct pack of Johnsons nursing pads
2 Nivea for men body washes
1 trial pack of rite aid brand tugaboos diapers (I was at my mom's house and forgot diapers, but I got a $1.00 rebate for them and they were .99 so they were free, lol)
1 Listerine mouthwash, 1.5 liter
1 case rite aid water
5 Colgate toothpastes
2 packs Dial mens soap, 3 bars
1 pack rite aid soap, 3 bars
1 pack Lansinoh nursing pads (60 ct)
1 Birthday card
1 pack teddy bear cookies (for Madalynn, but great for the car!)
1 pack rite aid brand freezer bags
1 bag Utz chips
1 pack crayons
1 bag Reisens
2 bags of skittles, 7.2 oz
1 bag dove milk chocolates
2 Reach Toothbrushes
2 Hershey with Almonds bars

Costs;
OOP (out of pocket) - 13.15
Still have $4 in Rite Aid Up rewards to use
SCR (single check rebates) 3.99 + $10 GC

Total cost; $4.84 PROFIT!!!!!!!!

Rolling rolling rolling RR's

Last week at Walgreens there were some huge money makers. I used this to my advantage and bought household items that I usually don't have a coupon for, as well as most of Madalynn's Easter basket. The key is to "roll" the register rewards. Now, this can be time consuming, confusing & frustrating, but if you have patience and lots of Walgreens in your area, it can work to your advantage. I am going to list each transaction I did, then total it up at the end.

#1
2 Easter Cups - Reg .39, in ad coupon -.52
Walgreens Mens daily vitamins - 3.00, GB $3 RR
Dove Shampoo - 4.00, Used $2 Internet coupon, GB $4 RR
Used $5 RR from the previous week.
Paid - $.52
GB - $7 RR

#2
2 Easter Bubble Necklaces - $1.00
Walgreens cotton swabs - $1.99
Ducolax 14 servings - $10, used $4 Internet coupon, GB $10 RR
Aquafina 1 L - $1.59, $Used $2 water coupon when you buy Ducolax
Used $7 RR from #1
Paid - $1.86
GB - $10 RR

#3
Halmark B-day card - $.99
Dentek Floss - $2.00, Used $1 MFR Q, GB $2 RR
Walgreens Mens daily vitamins - 3.00, GB $3 RR
Dove Shampoo - 4.00, Used $2 Internet coupon, GB $4 RR
4 Walgreens brand tylenol, 24ct, 5.34 (**I messed up and only meant to buy three!)
Used $10 RR
Paid $2.75
GB $9RR

#4
1 Gallon water - $1.79, used $2 Water Q from Ducolax
Paas easter egg dye kit - $.99
2 coloring books - $1.00
Bubble set - $1.00
Halmark card - $.99
Ducolax 14 servings - $10, used $4 Internet coupon, GB $10 RR
Used $9 in RR
Paid 1.12
GB $10 RR

#5
2 packs Walgreens paper plates - $.89 each
6 Hersheys Dark Chocolate bars - $.79 each, used in ad coupon, $.39 each
Dentek Floss - $2.00, Used $1 MFR Q, GB $2 RR
Walgreens Mens daily vitamins - 3.00, GB $3 RR
Dove Shampoo - 4.00, Used $1.50 MFR Q, GB $4 RR
Used $10 RR
Paid $1.23
GB $9 RR

#6
Hersheys Milk Chocolate bar - $.89, used $.50 in ad coupon, $.39
Revlon beauty tool - $5.99 (no coupon, this was an item I needed)
Dove conditioner - $4, used $1.50 MFR Q, GB $4RR
Used $5 RR
Paid 4.51
GB $4 RR

#7
Ducolax 14 servings - $10, used $4 Internet coupon, GB $10 RR
1 Gallon water - $1.79, used $2 Water Q from Ducolax
2 Scotch mailer envelopes - $1.99, used $1.30 in ad coupon, $.69 each
Walgreens cotton swabs - $1.99
Used $8RR
Paid $1.47
GB $10 RR

#8
1 Gallon Milk - $2.99
Starburst Jelly Beans - $2.00
Sweettart Jelly Beans - $2.00
Dove conditioner - $4, used $1.50 MFR Q, GB $4RR
2 Wafer bars - $1 each
Used $10 RR
Paid $1.97
GB $ 4 in RR

So.... totalling up the costs

Started the week with $5 RR
Total Out of Pocket $15.43
Sales Tax $ 3.34
Ended the week with $4 RR

Total cost - $16.43

I started doing these transactions on Monday, ended on Saturday. I never did more than 2 transactions at a time.

Retail Therapy!

So today we set out for the last day of some sales. I had a few impulse buys, with no coupons (shock!), but still did pretty good. Here are my deals!

Walgreens ~ My original intention was to get more, because I have a $10 RR expiring on 3/22, but once I saw next weeks ad, I decided to save it. But I couldn't pass up this deal....

Oscar Myer fully cooked bacon ~ On sale BOG1 Free. $3.99 for two. Used 2 $1.50/1 Man Q's. Total paid ~ .99

CVS ~ This could have been cheaper had I printed one more of the $3/2 coupons, but still pretty good!

2 Dove Deodorants ~ On Sale 2/$5, Used $3/2 Man Q
2 Degree woman deodorants ~ On sale 2/$5, Used 2 $1/1 Man Q
2 Degree men deodorants ~ On sale 2/$5, Used $3/2 Man Q
1 Herbal Essence Conditioner ~ On sale $2.99, Used $1/1 Man Q
1 Herbal Essence Hair Spray ~ On sale $2.99, Used $2.99 Man Q
Used $4 Recycle Bank Q
Used $5 ECB
Got back $5 ECB
Tax - $1.02
Total paid - $1.02

Target ~ A few impulse buys, and the cashier didn't give me credit for my reusable bags, which could have been $.15 off.

Summer outfit for Madalynn - $6.00
Bouncy Ball for Madalynn - $2.89 (better than the $8.99 she wanted originally)
2 Dial Handwashes - $1.37 ea, Used 2 $1/1 Target Q
Old Spice Body wash - $3.99, Used $3.99 Man Q
Old Spice Deodorant - $4.29, Used $3.99 Man Q (should have been the full $4.29)
4 Olay Body Washes - $5.50 each, Used 4 $5.50 Man Q's, earned $5 GC
4 Venus Razors - $7.00 each, Used 4 $2/1 Man Q's, earned $10 GC

Used $15 in GC I had previously earned
Tax $ 3.17
Paid $ 18.10

Total for today's trips
Tax $4.19
Paid $20.11 (but should have been 19.66 with mistakes from target)

Not bad for all this!

Target deals 3/13

Now, almost all of my coupons beeped and told the cashier the item wasn't available. This is why choosing your cashier is soooo important. She pushed them all through, no questions asked!

Clorox Toilet Wand - 9.69, $5 MFR Q, $5 MIR
4 Gillette Body washes - $7.16, 2 - $4/2 MFR Q
2 Old Spice Odor Blocker Body washes - 7.98, $7.98 MFR Q
2 Herbal Essence travel size shampoo, conditioner - 1.94
2 Herbal Essence styler - $5.98, $5.98 MFR Q
4 Rolaids soft chews - $10.16, $8.00 MFR Q
3 Bottles Listerine, 1 liter - $13.37, $5 MFR Q, $5 Target GC
.15 for using reusable bags.

Before coupons - 48.35
Tax 2.90
Total paid 14.07
After MIR - 9.07

I'm baaaaaaaack!

So, I have been kinda MIA. I hadn't been doing much shopping, a few things here & there but nothing major. And the Blizzards really threw me off. But this week I am back in the swing of things, full force! So here are my deals that I snagged this week so far!

Walgreens;

5 packs of Nyquil capsules On sale for 4.49, Used $1.50 Q on each one. Got back $10 RR
2 boxes of puffs - Free w/Q
3 Mini sticker books - In ad coupon 3/$1 (these were my RR fillers)
3 Listerine, 250ml (little bottle), on sale 3/$9, used in ad coupon came down to 3/$3.99. Used two .50 Man Q's
Jif Peanut Butter and Smuckers Jelly on sale 2/$4, used $1 off Q
Renpure shampoo and conditioner, BOGO - 6.99 Try me free rebates on both (**some people report that they have gotten full price for both back even though they didnt pay full price, so we shall see. Either way its free, possible money maker)
3 Olay body washes 3.99 each, used $1 Man Q

Total paid; 27.22
Used $12 RR
Got $10 RR
MIR
$15 Olay
$6.99 possibly 13.98 from Renpure

Total cost -
1 Renpure rebate - $7.23
2 Renpure rebates - $.24

CVS;

4 bags of Starburst Jelly beans - On sale $2.50. Buy $10 worth, get $3 back. Used 2 $1/2 Man Q's
4 Boxes of Froot Loops - On sale $2.50. Buy $10 worth, get $5 back. Used 2 $1/2 Man Q's.
1 Gillette Fusion Razor - On sale $8.29, Get back $4, used $4 Man Q.
Used $4/20 CVS coupon from Recyclebank!

Paid out of pocket - 10.27
Used $4 ECB
Have $9 ECB
Total cost - 5.29

Safeway
4 boxes of Red Baron single serve deep dish pizzas - On sale $2.50, used 3 $.75/1 Man Q's (doubled) and 1 $1.00/1 Man Q.
4 Packs Kraft singles - 1.49 each
1 Softsoap pump - On sale $1.00, used $.50/1 coupon (doubled)

Total cost - 10.46

I am still working on my Rite Aid deals for this week, so stay tuned!

CVS 1/31

I am super excited about the deals I got today! There were lots of ECB's that I got & used for new transactions. I did a total of three transactions. I started the week off with $6 in ECB. Here is all I got;

2 Jumbo packs of Huggie diapers (40 pk). On sale for $10. When you buy $20 you get $5 back in ECB. I used my B1G1 coupon from the recycle bank for a savings of $10. Total cost $5 for both packs!

The next deal was buy $10 in participating Unilever products, get $3 back. I got;
2 Jars of Hellman's mayo. 5.99 (B1G1 Free). Used 2 $.75 coupons.
3 Jars of Ragu pasta sauce. On sale 3/$5. Used $1.25/3 coupon.
Total cost $5.24

Another hot ECB this week is on Dove Men + Care face/body wash. It's on sale for 5.49 and you get back 5.49 in ECB. Limit two. I used a $1.00 coupon and a $1.25 coupon.
Total cost $2.25 money maker

The last deal I got was coke. Yay for coke finally being on sale! They had 12 packs 3/$11, which isnt the best price.... BUT. When you buy $25 you get $10 back! I got seven 12 packs. I used 7 $1/1 coke coupons from recycle bank. Got back $10.
Total cost 8.69, 1.24 per 12 pack, .10 per can!!!!!

I also used a $4/20 CVS coupon I got from recyclebank. Here is total breakdown of cost;

Started the week with $6 ECB
Ended the week with $10 ECB
Out of pocket cost - 19.80 (3.14 in tax alone!)
Total cost - 15.80!!!!!

I <3 CVS!

My favorite transaction this week!

I haven't been doing much shopping this week, but I just HAD to share this transaction I just did at Rite Aid!

1 Box Tampax Pearls, 36 ct - 6.99
1 Box Tampax Pearls, 20 ct - 5.29
1 Box Always Infinity pads, 18 ct - 5.29
1 Icecubes bubble gum (bought this to get above 20.00) - 3.29
Total - 21.16
Used Rite Aid Video Value $5/$20
Used B1G1 Tampax coupon - 5.29
Used Free Always Infinity Pads - 5.29
Used $2 off Tampax pearls

Total paid 3.28
BUT, there is a $2 SCR on the 36ct of tampons.
Total cost - 1.28!!!

AND There is a P&G rebate at Rite Aid right now. If you spend $100 you will get $35! Yay!

1/10 - 1/16 Deals

Target ~ I went to Target this week because I read about alot of freebies. My prices were not the same as posted online, slightly higher. Which still worked out well for me. Now, ALL my coupons beeped, but I went to a Cashier I have gone to before, a young girl who LOVES Madalynn and she pushed them all through. I also used a recycleable bag at Target for the first time today. They give you .05 credit for each bag you use! So here are my deals for Target;

2 Johnson and Johnson safety swabs, 1.29 each. Used 2 $1/1 Johson baby product MFR coupons. Total cost - .29 each
2 Soap Buddies, .97 each. Used 2 $1/1 Johnson baby product MFR coupons. Total cost - Free
Up & Up Diaper Rash ointment. No coupon. Total cost - 1.62
2 Rolaids Soft Chew 18 count. 2.54 each. 2 Rolaids Rolls, 3 pack. 1.99 each. Used 2 $4/2 coupons. Total cost 1.06 for all four.
3 Bandaid travel size, 8ct. 1.19 each. Used $1/1 MFR coupon. Total cost - .19 each.
3 Bandaid travel size, 10 ct Hello Kitty. 1.19 each. Used $1/1 MFR coupon. Total cost -.19 each.
6 Johnson and Johnson First Aid Kit to go. 1.19 each. Used $1/1 MFR coupon. Total cost - .19 each.

Total cost - 5.43
I saved 24.05 with coupons & reusable bag!

Rite Aid ~ I did two transaction at Rite Aid this week. I had an awesome cashier at both. I used multiple in ad coupons for the same items in both transactions. As far as the SCR goes, I have two accounts. Which is how I get more SCR's. Not everyone is comfortable with doing this or has the time/energy.

2 packs GE Bulbs, 2.00 each. Used a .25 coupon on one. Got back 2.00 SCR. Final cost - Free + .25 money maker.
6 Cotonelle Double Packs - On sale for 1.99, Used .50 in ad coupon, Used 2 $1/1 coupons, 4 $.50/1 coupons. Final cost - 4.94 for all six, .82 each.
2 Scott 4 packs - On sale for 2.99, used .50 in ad coupon. Final cost 2.49 each.
2 Windex Triggers - On sale for 2.49, used .50 in ad coupon, used $1/1 MFR Q. Final cost - .99 each.
2 Contac cold packs - On sale for 4.99, used $2/1 MFR Q, 4.99 SCR. Final cost - Free + 2.00 Money Maker.
1 Clearance Wrapping paper - .99
1 Clearance Wrapping paper - 1.24
2 Drano Max - On sale for 3.49, Used .50 in ad coupon. Used 1 $.55/1 MFR Q. **This should have been two, I didnt realize she didnt scan both until now. Total cost - 5.43 for both, 2.71 each.

Out of Pocket cost - 20.35
SCR Get back - 13.98
Total cost - 6.37

CVS ~ I didn't do much here this week, but got some awesome deals on makeup!
2 Loreal mascaras - On sale for 1.87, used $1/1 MFR Q - .87 each
2 Loreal Eyeshawdos - On sale for 1.99, used $1/1 MFRQ - .99 each
3 Loreal Lip glosses - On sale for 2.12, used $1/1 MFR Q - 1.12 each
2 Airwick Freshmatic Kit - On sale for 5.99, used $4/1 MFR Q - 1.99 each
1 Lysol Air Freshner Kit - On sale for 5.99, used $4/1 MFR Q - 1.99
2 Wonka Gummies - 2/$4. Used 2 $1/1 MFR Q, Got back $1 ECB, Total cost $1. $.50 each.
Scrubbing bubble toilet bowl gel (double pack) - 6.99, used $1/1 coupon got back $2 ECB. Total cost 3.99.

Out of pocket cost - 10.39
Used $9 ECB
Got back $6 ECB
Total cost 13.39

Walgreens ~ Got lots of stuff, did I think 6 transactions?
4 colgate toothpaste - On sale for 2.99, used $1 MFR Q, Got $2 RR back. Final cost - Free
6 Thermacare neck, wrist and ankle heating pad - On sale for 2.49, used $1 MFR Q - Got back $2.50 RR. Final cost - Free + 1.00 Money maker
2 packs of Halls - On sale for .99, used $.50 MFR Q - Final cost - $.49 each.
2 Harribo Gummi Bears - $2
2 Betty Crocker Cake mix - On sale for .99 each
2 Blue Bonnet Butter packs (1 lb) - 1.00 MGR Special
1 Gallon Milk - 2.99
1 pack of goobers - 1.00

For some reason my computer is not letting me copy and paste, refer to previous post for the rest of the Walgreens transactions. I will included them in the totals though.

Out of pocket cost; 23.59
Used $3 in RR
Still have $27 in RR
MIR for J&J - $10.00
Total cost - 16.59

I also submitted a $5 SC Johnson rebate for the scrubbing bubbles & Windex. I am 2/3 of the way to another one because of the Draino.
Total cost for the week - 36.78

The power of Rebates & Sales!

Today I went to Walgreens. Even though I had a coupon nazi as a cashier, I still did pretty good.

First, there is a Johnson and Johnson rebate available. If you purchase $30 or more of Clean & Clear, Aveeno, Lubriderm or ROC you get $10 back. There were tons of coupons in last sunday's paper for them. Almost all the stores have some sort of sale on them right now. Walgreens is Buy one, get one 50% off. Here is my deal.

Aveeno Baby Shampoo, 8 oz (Reg price 6.29, $2.00 MFR Q, 4.29)
Aveeno Baby Shampoo, 8 oz (Sale price 3.15, $2.00 MFR Q, 1.15)
Aveeno Shampoo, 10.5oz (Reg price 7.49, $2.50 MFR Q, 4.99)
Aveeno Conditioner, 10.5oz (Sale 3.75, $2.50 MFR Q, 1.25)
Clean & Clear Blackhead Scrub, 5oz (Reg price 5.99, $2.00 MFR, 3.99)
Clean & Clear Blackhead Scrub, 5oz (Reg price 3.00, $2.00 MFR, 1.00)
Total for these products - 16.67 - $10 Rebate - 6.67.

The rest of my transaction & total costs;
Colgate Toothpaste (Sale 2.99, $2 RR, $1 MFR coupon - Free)
Thermacare (Sale 2.49, $2.50 RR, $1 MFR coupon - Free + 1.00 MM (thanks Jen!))
2 Neosporin Lip Health - (Sale 2/$8, $3RR, 2 $3 MFR Q - Free + 1.00 MM)
Reisens - (B1G1 - 2.29 for both)
Coke 2 Liter - (On sale 2/$3, Used 2 $1 coupons from recyclebank, .50 per bottle)

Out of Pocket - 11.69
Used RR - 16
Got RR - 7.50
Cost - 20.19
After Mail in rebate - 10.19

Deals 1/3 - 1/9

Well my plan initially was not to go to Walgreens much this week, but there were lots of moneymakers and hot deals that I took advantage of!

Here is the list;
Frosted Mini Wheats - 4
Chips Ahoy Mini box -8
Ritz Mini box - 4
Johnson and Johnson Bubble Bath w/free 4oz lotion - 2
Johnson and Johnson Baby shampoo w/free 4oz bubble bath - 2
Bayer Quick Release Crystals - 12 (this was a HOT moneymaker, I have been giving them away)
Aquafina 24 pk - 8
Kellogs Bars - 2

A break down of costs -
Mini Wheats were 2/$5 get $2 RR, Used $1.50/2 Q, Final cost - .75 per box
Chips ahoy were on sale for .99 a box. There was a glitch in the system and when you bought two boxes you got a $2 RR. Final cost - Free.
Ritz Mini Box - On sale for .99, Used $1/2 coupon - Final cost .50/box
Johnson and Johnson - On sale for 2.99, used $2/1 coupon - Final cost .99 each.
Bayer Quick Release Crystals - Unadvertised clearance for 2.29, Get a $6 RR when you buy three. Used $1.50/1 coupon - Final cost Free + 1.21 Money maker per box. **Note - I did not make copies of these coupons, I have daily access to 5 maybe 6 computers. I also used the $1/1 coupon from the paper for a few of them.
Aquafina, another unadvertised RR. Buy $20 or more of Pepsi Products, get $10 RR. They were marked 5.99, an in ad coupon brought them down to 3.99. Final cost 1.49 per case!
Kellogs Nutrigrain bars - On sale 2/5 get $2 RR back. Final cost - 1.50 per box.

Total Out of pocket cost - 31.77
Used RR - 44
Got RR - 58
Total cost - 17.77!

CVS
4 Christmas Stockings (75% off, 1.25 each)
1 Loreal Mascara (75% off, $1 MFR Q - .87)
Scott 12 pack (6.88 Sale - 1.50 MFR Q)
4 Oust Air Sanitizer (3.99 Sale, Get $3ECB (limit 3), used B1G1 Coupon - 1.00 MM)
2 All laundry detergent (3.99 sale, $2 MFR Q)

Out of pocket - 15.94
Used ECB - 4
Got ECB - 9
Total cost - 10.94

Branching out!

Ok, so with the Holidays I haven't posted in a while. I can't remember all the deals I got the weeks before Christmas, but I will highlight a few that stood out that I can remember.

Two Blue ray DVD's for 4.99 each!
Kleenex for .04!

I also hit up Target X-mas clearance the day after X-mas. I scored Bounty 2 packs for .49, Aluminum foil for .74 and some snacks very cheap!

Now that I have gotten the hang of Walgreens, I am beginning to branch out. I started with CVS, there was a money making deal a few weeks ago. They had Nivea body wash on sale for 5.99 and you received $5 Extra Care Bucks (ECB) back. ECB are similar to RR's in that you can use them on your next purchase. However, they are a bit easier to use. And they don't expire as quickly. Back to the deal. There was also a $2 coupon off the body wash. So I paid 4.35 out of pocket and got back $5 for my next purchase! I am also beginning to like Rite Aid. They have a single check rebate program(SCR) available, where you can get money back via check. I thought I had purchased some of the qualifiying products this week, but evidently, I didn't. I went back and read the SCR's I thought I had bought and it turns out I didn't. You have to follow it to the tee. But Rite Aid also has some $5 of $25 coupons available (go on over to Red Plum to access the coupon), and they also have a $5 off $20 when you watch some videos online. You can use these BEFORE any other manufacturer coupons, which really brings your totals down!!! So here are my deals I got this last week;

CVS
2 Pantene Pro-V 24.5 oz bottles - On sale for 2$7. Used the $3/2 coupon from the 12/27 P&G, got back $2 in ECB. Total cost - $1 each bottle.
2 Olay regenerist Face washes (will explain why I bought these in a bit) - On sale for 6.99, used the $3/1 coupon from the November P&G. Total cost 3.99 ea.
Colgate toothpaste - On sale for 2.99. Used the $1/1 coupon from the All you magazine, got back $2 in ECB. Total cost - Free.
2 Ivory soap 3 packs - On sale for .99. Used the $1/1 coupon from the 12/27 P&G. Total cost, free.

I used my $5 ECB I got from the week before, paid $14.21 out of pocket, and got back $4 in ECB. Total cost for CVS - $15.21

Rite Aid
Tampax 40ct - 6.99 (I thought I was getting a $2 SCR, but it was just on the pearls!)
Tampax 20 ct - 3.99, used the BOGO coupon from 12/27 P&G. Total cost - Free
Packing take - On sale for 2.00
2 Cover girl Blushes - On sale for BOGO. Used the $1/1 coupon from the November P&G. Total cost - 3.69 (Again, I thought I was getting $4 in SCR back, but I bought the wrong thing)
2 Olay Regenerist Face Wash - On sale B1G1 50% off. 7.99 & 3.99 - Used $3/1 coupon from the November P&G, total cost for both - 5.98.
I also used a $5 off $25 coupon.

Total cost - 14.55

Walgreens
Scrubbing bubbles kit - On sale for 13.99, Used $7/1 printable coupon. Total cost - 6.99.
Scrubbing bubbles refill - Free because I bought the kit.
Scrubbing bubbles refill - Used BOGO free printable, Max value $5.00. Total cost - .29.
2 Honey Nut Cheerios - On sale for 2/$4, Used 2 $1/1 printables and received $2 in RR. Total cost - Free.
Gallon of milk - 3.29
Neosporin Lip Healh - On sale 2/$8, used two $3/1 printable coupons, received $3 in RR. Total cost Free + $1 MM.
Soda (steve wanted) .99
Holiday cookies on Clearance .64

I used $5 in RR expiring that day, paid $11.42 out of pocket and received $5 in RR back.

So, my break down of costs.
Rite Aid - 14.55
CVS - 15.21
Walgreens - 11.42

BUT....

Rebates I submitted this week.

Buy two Olay regenerist products, get $15 back. I did this in my name & Steve's name from the CVS & Rite Aid.
SC Johnson, buy three products, get $5 back. I did this for the scrubbing bubbles at Walgreens.
Total rebates - $35

Total cost for all these products - $6.18
(Not bad, if I do say so myself!)

Walgreens 12/13 - 12/19

So Walgreens was full of excitement this week! Weds and Thurs they had the special spend $25 get $5 back. And then Thurs & Fri there was a coupon for 15% off for "friends and family." I got the coupon from being a fan of theirs on facebook. Walgreens also released new coupons that we could get online and they can be "stacked" with manufacturer coupons. Stacked means you can use them both. They trick is to always hand over the manufacturer coupons first, then hand over the Walgreens coupons. I am going to change the way I list my stuff. Next to the item I am going to use this format (regular price/discounted price/Man Q/Wags Q/RR/Mail in Rebate=total price).

Ok, so I started the week off with $25 in RR.

4 Reisen Candy, 6 oz bag (2.29/1.15=1.15ea)
6 Reisen Candy, 6oz bag (2.29/.98=.98ea)
3 Ducolax balance (6.99/3.00MQ/4.00RR/5.00MIR=Free + 5.00 Moneymaker ea)
2 Complete Eye solution (7.99/8RR=Free)
Snickers bar (.89/.50WAGQ=.39)
4 boxes Jello (1.00/.25MFRQ/.61WAGQ=.14ea)
2 Ziploc Bags (3.29/.50MFRQ/1.30WAGQ=1.49 ea) (Plus, this qualifies me for another Johnson rebate for $5, so this is a moneymaker)
3 Jergens soap, 8pk (2.69/.70WAGQ=1.99ea)
Puffs Tissue (1.79/1.00MFRQ/.90WAGQ=Free + .11 Overage)
2 Gallons of Milk (3.29/Sale2.99)
4 Lindsay Olives (2.00/.50MFRQ/1.01WAGQ=.49ea)
4 Viva Paper towels, 6 pack (6.99/5.94(15%)/2.00MFRQ/2.00WAGQ=1.94ea)
Snuggie (X-mas present for co-worker)(15.99/12.74(15%))
Cookie Tin (X-mas present for co-worker)(4.99/4.24(15%))
3 Triaminic Strips (6.99/5.94(15%)/3.00MFRQ/2.00WAGQ/2.50RR = Free + 1.56 moneymaker ea)
1 Triaminic Strips (6.99/5.94(15%)/2.00MFRQ/2.00WAGQ/2.50RR = Free + .56 moneymaker ea)
1 Walgreens Face Wash (2.99/2.39(20%))

Keep in mind, I also earned several $5 RR for spending over $25.

So.... breakdown of costs.....

Total Out of Pocket - 41.54
RR used - 7
RR left - 18

MIR submitted; Ducolax $15, SC Johnson $5

Total cost - 10.54!!!!!

Walgreens 12/6 - 12/12

So, my Walgreen's journey this week did not end the way I had planned it. By the time Saturday came about, all stores were out of the double pack of Renu, which was a $2 moneymaker this week. So here it goes;

I started the week with $36 in RR

2 Gallons of Milk
2 dozen eggs
4 boxes of Fruit Loops
2 jars of skippy peanut butter
2 bags of Chex mix
2 Boxes of Kleenex
2 bottles of Pert Plus
Walgreens face scrub
2 boxes Envelopes
2 Activity coloring pads
3 Jars of Ragu
2 Conair brushes (2 pack)
2 bottles of Just for men
2 Holiday pens
3 Hasbro Gummy worms
6 packs of stayfree pads (16 each)
3 Renu contact solutions, twin pack
12 bottles of peroxide (16oz each)
3 Scunnci hair accessories
Clearance CD
1 Stemudent
1 Neutrogena mens shaving gel
5 gift sacks
2 Olay Body washes
2 Olay Body lotion (20 oz)
2 boxes of rice krispie treats (8 in box)
Triaminic thin strips
Triaminic nasal spray
2 packs of Tuf paper towels (8 each)

Out of pocket I paid - 25.65
Register rewards left - 25.00

Rebates submitted this week;
Just for men 8.99, Just for men 6.99, Olay 19.98

Total cost for all this stuff - .69!!!!

Target & Walmart 12/10

So, my target deals actually were from two stores. The first one I went to was out of what I wanted to get, which worked out good cause I used the $5 gift card from the first transaction on the second transaction. Here is all I got;

Hershey Kisses, 10 oz. On sale for 2.50. Used the Buy 3, get one free coupon.
Cost - 7.50
Swiss Miss, 10 packs. On sale for .97, Used the Target $1 off coupon.
Cost - Free!
Fudge Shoppe cookies. On sale 5 for $10 & get back $5 gift card. Used 2 $1 coupons.
Cost - 3.00 (.60 each)
Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo, travel size. Regular price 1.02. Uses 3 $1 couppons.
Cost - .06 (.02 each)
Boggle Game. Regular price 14.99. On sale for 12.00. Used $5 off coupon.
Cost - $7
Harry Potter Blue Ray DVD. Regular price 19.99. Used $5 off coupon.
Cost - $14.99

Total cost after taxes - 33.95



Walmart
Today I stepped foot in my least favorite store, Wal-Mart. Why, you ask? 1. We needed water, and they by far have the best deal on water. 2. It was rumored that Snuggle dryer sheets were on sale for 1.87, and you could use the $2 off coupon, so you would get a .13 overage! So, I ventured in. I also wanted to get some of Madalynn's yogurt, because they are the cheapest, and we needed sour cream for our tacos tonight. I decided to chance it and attempt to use two internet coupons on the sour cream and the yogurt. I was armed with the policy, just in case. Now, on www.hiptosave.com Collin talks about choosing your cashier, and man is she right. My first choice, young men, they do not scrutinize as much as other. Then older men, then younger women and then older women. Older women tend to be the biggest pains. It's like you are taking money directly out of their pocket (there are of course, exceptions, but you get the idea). Anyways. Today was full of old lady cashiers. But I scouted them out and noticed one that has been really nice in the past. I got in line with my two internet coupons, I must add too that I used color ones this time. Here is what I got;

3 cases of water (24 20oz bottles, 3.98 each)
Cost - 11.94
4 boxes of Snuggle. On sale 1.87, used the $2 coupon on each.
Cost - Free & .52 overage
Yo baby Yogurt. Regular price 3.12, used .50 coupon.
Cost - 2.62
Breakstone Sour Cream. Regular price 1.38. Used .55 coupon.
Cost - .83

Total after tax - $16.04

Stay away from Patapsco Ave!

Their Walgreens sucks!!!!

Ugh I had the worst experience at Walgreens again. I went back to the one that i had problems with last week, big mistake. The manager saw me in the aisle and recognized me. He then told me they were changing the policy, but couldn't produce it in writing. He told me that they are no longer going to give you RR's if you paid with RR's and that you could not use more that 4 or five. I said fine cause I knew this probably wasn't true and proceeded to check out. I had Milk, two chex-mixes, two orange juices, two pert shampoo's, 4 X-mas bags and 2 tea lights. While I was waiting in line the manager called the cashier and told him not to take more than four RR's. I asked him if he called to tell him about me. At first he denied it and said no, but then admitted yes. I told the cashier to call the manager up there because he had just said 4 or 5, and I wanted to use 5 RR's. He came up and said, no, I meant 4. I told him he was rude for calling the cashier while I was waiting in line. Then he told me I could only use 4 COUPONS, total. I asked for it in writing, he said he didn't have it but this was a nationwide policy change. I told him to void out my transaction, I got my milk and two tea lights and paid .12! I then proceeded to call corporate right away and she said she was not aware of any policy change but would have someone else in corporate call me.!!!!!!!!!

My other favorites!

Target! Target has web coupons and accepts internet coupons. This past week they had their Toddler wipes on sale for .97, well there was a coupon online for 1.00 off. And you could print as many as you wanted. I printed about 20. I gave a few away and used some on baby wipes too. I believe I spent around $7.00 to get 24 packs of wipes, around 960 wipes. Also, Target has a great travel size section. If you have a coupon that states "any" and does not have exclusions, you can use it on them. I bout St. Ive's body wash for free and paid .02 for travel size laundry detergent!

Superfresh! Superfresh just started taking internet coupons and they also double coupons under 1.00!

Safeway! Same as above. And today when I shopped there, they printed out a $1 off your next purchase coupon (just like Walgreen's)!

The key to these high end grocery stores is to go for the items that are on sale. They count on their shoppers to not only buy the cheap stuff but to also buy all the other stuff they need, at much higher prices.

Coupon Organization & Where to get coupons

So, before I began this journey of my serious couponing, I would clip coupons and put them in envelopes with the intention of using them. But half the time I found them expired or forgot to use them. When i found www.hiptosave.com She has a whole section on coupon organization. I have learned that this is key! I like the binder method cause I can see all my coupons laid out. With that being said, I also use envelopes for certain stores. When I am looking at the sale ads and making my list, I take out the coupons for those items and put them in an envelope labeled with that store. Here is what my binders look like. I got the 1" ones for .50 cents at wal-mart, so I have one for food and one for other stuff.

Ok, so the obvious place to get coupons is the sunday paper. I subscribe and buy one or two more if the inserts are good and there are good coupons. Another place to get coupons is the internet. Now, some stores won't take them. Like Wal-mart. Even though it CLEARLY states in their policy that they do, I have had problems. I am going to try again soon, with a copy of the policy in my hands. Walgreens, target, superfresh, safeway and giant all take them. The problem is they are weary because people make copies of the coupons. I do not. Each computer is allowed to print a coupon twice (in most cases). I have the advantage of having access to at least three computers on a daily basis, so if there is a coupon I know I will use alot of, I print out copies on each computer. A site that has alot available is www.coupons.com. I rely on www.hiptosave.com to tell me when there are hot coupons available. I have also found that you can go directly to the manufacturer's site and alot of them have coupons online. Some require you to register to get them.

Family update!

Where to start? With the most important person, of course!

Madalynn Rose is now 13 months old. At her 12 mo appt she was in the 95 % for everything. She was 23 3/4" long, and 22lbs 4oz. She is in 18 mo clothes now and a shoe size 4. She is such a happy baby and makes us smile and laugh every day! She is walking everywhere, and doesn't like you to hold her hand (this has lead to several bumps and bruises). She loves to dance to music and has began including her arms into dancing!!! She even dances in her carseat! She is a climber and an explorer! She eats pretty much everything! No more baby food for her. And she drinks whole milk like a champ. She loves to eat off Mommy and Daddies plate. She is very smart (at least I think so). She can follow one step directions, such as "get your shoes" or "come here". Buddy is her best friend! We find her laying in his bed at times. He is so gentle with her, its amazing!

I will upload some new pictures later!

A bit of information about Walgreens!

So first, let me say that I get all my tips and info from www.hiptosave.com. PLEASE go to her site if you want to learn her tricks!!!!

So my newest favorite is Walgreens. I never ever thought I would say that. Until learning their system, I maybe had been in their store a handful of times during my entire life. Walgreens has a system call Register Rewards. Basically, certain items you buy qualify for a register reward (RR). These are advertised in their papers. Example. This month they have dayquil/Nyquil on sale 2 for $10. But you get a $5 coupon (RR) after you pay. So essentially it is 2 for $7. Then, if you have the coupon's for $1.50 off any dayquil or Nyquil, it is $1 per box.

Things can get tricky with RR's. First thing to understand is they count as a manufacturer coupon. And when you shop at Walgreen's you cannot have more MFR coupons than items. So say you want to use an RR but you have coupons for everything. Don't fret!!! Simply find a "filler" item, something cheap, or something you need but no have coupons for, and it will count for that coupon. Second, you cannot "chain" the same RR deal. You cannot purchase more Nyquil/Dayquil with the RR you just got for doing the deal. You can however, chain new deals. You can use glade RR's on Nyquil, etc. This is how you get the most for your buck. Yes, it can be tiresome and annoying, and some Walgreens won't let you do alot of transactions, but if you plan it right, you can do well.

Another great thing about Walgreens & RR's is you can "make" money off of items. If you have a MFR coupon that brings the item down below the amount of RR you are getting, you will make money on the transaction. For example, starting on 12/2 this week there were several items that were Free after RR. One was Acai berry supplements. You buy it for $4 and you get $4 back. BUT, there was a $3 off coupon available on their website and in the boxes. This stuff was FLYING off the shelf. You made $3 on it! Also, there were dentek floss picks for $2 and you get $2 back in RR. On their website was a $1 off coupon. I used my co-workers computer and my mom's computer (you can only print two per computer) and got 6 bags, and made $6 off of them!!!

Like I said, if you need any additional info, I strongly encourage you to visit www.hiptosave.com!!!!! She even has videos for you to watch, and explains all the other stores too.So first, let me say that I get all my tips and info from www.hiptosave.com. PLEASE go to her site if you want to learn her tricks!!!!