Sticking It To The Budget

Last week and so far this week have been pretty good for deal hunting and I think I've done pretty darn good keeping it within budget. In fact I might even have leftover budget! Sorry husband, that does not mean you can buy Duke Nukem or whatever other video game you are drooling over today.

Thursday's score at CVS:
1 Facial Buff, 4 Purex 3-in-1, 2 Gain Dish Liquid, 2 Coke 2L, and 3 Coke 12pk (not shown). I spent $9.47 after coupons and ECB's, and received $5 ECB for next time. Apparently I saved $50.07, and $25.58 of that was coupons/ECB!


I also scored a $6 Physician's Formula coupon from the kiosk!

After that, I ran to Walgreen's to grab 4 Irish Spring deodorant that was free after coupons and RR for my brother-in-law-in-law, then I used the RR to buy 3 Kraft Deluxe that was on sale, and a bunch of Easter Candy. I think I spent $9. Why, oh why, does the candy have such a hold on me?

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Saturday's Shopping Trip: Target deals for last week weren't very thrilling, but I had a small list and huge stack of expiring soon coupons so I just wandered around the store with husband in tow.

We got 2 Mountain Dew 12pks, 2 Tostitos Chips, 1 Dip, 1 Sierra Mist 2L, 1 Jug Apple Cider (clearance!), 2 TGIF Appetizers, 2 Up&Up ibuprofen, 2 Up&Up dryer sheets, 2 Dentyne Pure 3pks, 1 Shout Wipes Travel Size, 2 Scrubbing Bubbles cleaners, and 1 Clorox 2. This time I handed over my coupons one by one and made sure each one scanned.

Our total was $31.94 and the receipt says we saved $31.78, and since their receipts are completely illogically organized... lets just go with that - nearly 50% savings!

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After we got home from Target I wanted to go back to CVS and exchange my highly overpriced, ill-thought-out purchase of Coke 12pks from earlier this week. I put together a quick list from the new ad and grabbed some coupons for some Midnight Shopping!

When I arrived and scanned my card I was pleasantly surprised with a $5 ECB from the magic coupon kiosk for my winter beauty spending, woohoo!

First I bought the Renu contact solution with a $5 coupon from coupons.com, and paid $8.58 on my FSA card and got $3 ECB. Since I plan ahead for contact supplies on my FSA card I don't count this as an out-of-pocket expense.

I'm proud of my next purchase because I mostly figured this deal out all by myself! I bought 12 Cottonelle Fresh Wipes on sale 3 for $4 and used 6 $1 off 2 printable coupons (or here for Firefox users). These are part of an ECB deal when you spend $15 on various household products you get a $5 ECB. I get confused sometimes and didn't think of using the $5 ECB I got from the kiosk! My total spent was $5.37, I saved $39.68, and got a $5 ECB.

If you don't have extra ECB to use, you can still print 6 of the coupons (you will need access to 3 computers) and get them for $0.83 each after coupons or $0.42 each after coupons and ECB!

My final transaction was for 2 Ritz Crackers, 2 Wheat Thins, 7 Coke 2L, 1 Dawn dish soap, 1 24pk Nestle Pure Life water, and 1 Physicians Formula eye shadow. I used the rest of my ECB's from the previous week, plus the $5 ECB from the last transaction, the $6 off Physicians Formula coupon I got Thursday, and a $5 off $25 coupon I got in my email. I didn't have enough to also use the $5 ECB from the kiosk so I just held onto it. I'm always shopping at CVS so it wont go to waste. My total spent was $3.09 and total savings of $42.28 plus I got a $5 ECB.

Grand total for CVS ended up being $8.46, saved $81.96, and walked out with $10 ECB.

Stuff You Don't Wanna Miss

In the spirit of sharing I wanted to throw together a quick list of some of the recent printable links and links to the coveted P&G coupon booklets. These all came from the various coupon blogs that I religiously read, links provided below. 

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FREE P&G Coupon Books links from Clippin' with Carie, and yes you can request it once from each link!

Dawn P&G Organize in Style Coupon Book
Cascade P&G Organize in Style Coupon Book
Mr. Clean P&G Organize in Style Coupon Book
Febreze P&G Organize in Style Coupon Book
Swiffer P&G Organize in Style Coupon Book
Olay P&G Organize in Style Coupon Book

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Mall/Retail Printable Coupons - My Favorites
Click here to read the whole article from Clippin' with Carie

AMC – Free popcorn with any drink purchase Exp 3/24
Bath & Body Works - FREE Travel Size Signature Item (up to $5) with ANY purchase. Exp 3/23
Mid Rivers Mall – Find Store Coupons HERE
Chesterfield Mall – Find Store Coupons HERE
West County Center – Find Store Coupons HERE

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Restaurant Freebies/Coupons - My Favorites
Click here to read the whole article from STL Mommy!

Chili’s Free Chips & Queso
Del Taco Free Shrimp Taco with any purchase
Einstein Bros $4 Off Bagel Bucket
Hardees Free Carmel Crumb Biscuit with breakfast combo purchase
Texas Roadhouse Free Appetizer
T.G.I. Fridays Save 25% On Your Entire Purchase
Waffle House Free Waffle
White Castle Purchase a Saver Sack or Sack Meal for a free Fish Slider or Nibblers

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Target Weekly Deals
There are so many, too many, to mention so click here to go read the coupon match-up from Totally Target.

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All of the above mentioned blogs have tons of awesome information, if you havent subscribed to them or "Like"ed them on Facebook yet... what are you waiting for?!?!!?! Don't forget to "Like" me while you're there too!

Stay tuned for a special post coming soon - "Couponing For Dummies (like me)"!!

Diaper-palooza!

Much to my disbelief my sister-in-law finally decided to come shopping with me. It was lots of fun to have her along, but I'm not sure her wallet agrees! 

First she wasn't buying anything, then it was maybe some knee-highs, then it was oh sure Ill get some lady products, then she wanted peeps but also had to get a nummy for her hubby and came back with no peeps and some weird egg laying chicken thing... and then while we were in the checkout line she spotted some popcorn that she had to run off and get.

That was the most ADD shopping I have ever seen in my life, very entertaining though.

I was a tiny bit more organized with my shopping trip. First, I bought the diapers in two separate transactions, spent $12.89 each (saved $8 each), so I could get two $3 Register Rewards.

Then I bought everything else, with coupons and my $6 in Register Rewards... and due to some last minute additions, forgetting a coupon, and a slight miscalculation I did spend $3.77 out of pocket... but still saved $32.20!
The Dawn smell in yellow is pretty yummy too, pineapple something!

What I Got
4 Jumbo Pack Pampers
4 Aquafresh Extreme Clean Toothpaste
1 Dawn Dish Soap
3 PediaCare Children's Pain Reliever/Fever Reducer
4 Knee-Highs
1 Pack Scrubby Sponge Things

What deals have you scored at Walgreen's recently?

Hungry Monster Strikes

Do not grocery shop when you're hungry! Sounds like good advice, right? Sometimes you just cant avoid it... like today. I had a late breakfast, missed lunch, left a few minutes early for a doctor's appointment, and went straight to the store with my tummy growling. My $25-30 shopping trip turned into nearly $100 and that is why "they" say you shouldn't shop hungry, and I believe "them"!

I joined the Smart Shopper Club over at Save-a-Lot and got my $5 off $25 purchase coupon so I decided to grab some things on the way home.

Some things quickly turned into practically one of everything in the store! I got some meatballs, some frozen dinners/lunches, some crackers, some screamin cheese (so good!), some fruit, some macaroni and cheese, some jello and pudding, some chicken nuggets, some cheese, and lots of other some things. At least now I wont have to go grocery shopping for some time!

On the bright side I was able to scope out more of the special buys still available at my store. It pays to shop around, so don't forget to check other local retail or grocery stores for their prices and specials before you buy. Here's a few of the deals with any matching coupons I could find:

Quaker Instant Oatmeal	$1.99
January 2 RedPlum	$1.00 off
Act II Microwave Popcorn 3pk	$1.49
February 27 SmartSource	$0.55 off
Prego Pasta Sauce	2 for $3.00
January 2 SmartSource	$0.35 off 2
General Mills Cereals	$2.49
Various on coupons.com
Yakisoba Asian Noodles	$0.49
January 2 SmartSource	$0.50 off
Philadelphia Orig Cream Cheese	$1.19
Hungry Jack Potatos	$1.00
Ocean Spray Juices	$1.88
Hunts Snack Pack Pudding	$0.99
Green Giant Canned Veggies	$0.59

Three Stores, and a Headache... Part 3

Target is becoming one of my favorite places to shop... I just wish the darn cashiers could figure out the coupons. Twice in the last week, Ive WATCHED that stupid register and they still managed to muck up the coupons (and its always the big ones, like my $5 off 12 Weight Watchers coupon and my B1G1 Swiffer refill).

Luckily I've have the good fortune of being neurotic (or stupid) enough to decode their idiotic receipts and the ability to persuade the manager to give me credit even though I didn't come back on the same day.

After all that... I think I made out pretty good. Check out my booty (Argh)! After my coupon refund I paid $26.52 which was a savings of $60.81 in-coupons-thank-you-very-much.

2 SWIFFER SWEEPER REFILL	1 TIDE TRAVEL SIZE
1 SWIFFER DUSTER STARTER	2 OLAY REGEN MICRO CLNS
1 SWIFFER MOP PADS REFILL	2 OLAY REGEN CLNS CLOTHS
2 7TH GEN ALL PURPOSE	2 OLAY DAILY PURIFYING BODY WASH
2 7TH GEN BATHROOM	2 OLAY TOTAL EFFECTS BODY WASH
2 UP&UP BLEACH	1 LITTLE DEBBIE SNACK CAKES

Three Stores, and a Headache... Part 2

Walgreen's has some pretty good RR deals this week, and I planned out this big elaborate list with 11 different transactions. I was going to hit the jackpot with this week's specials.... until I went to four different Walgreen's and couldn't find the stupid Motrin that was on sale. According to one of the store managers there was recently a big recall on Motrin and that's why they were out. I don't know if I believe that considering the Motrin that wasn't on sale was still in plenty of stock. Bitches.

I did manage to get a few things on my list that didn't require a RR to get a good deal on, and unfortunately didn't produce one either. Thanks to Clippin' With Carie for the heads up on this deal.

I paid only $0.51 for all that, can you believe it?? I wish you could get the same deal, but some of the coupons I used expired already, but if you need throat drops and tissues, its still a great deal even without the Vicks $1 coupons.

5 Vicks Cough Drops @ 2/$1.79 = $4.48 (bought 5 to avoid dreaded register beeps!)
4 Puffs @ $1.79 (or some are $1.49)
Use 4 $1 off Vicks Product Coupons Jan 16 or Jan 30 P&G (expired 2/28)
Use 4 Buy 1 Vicks Product get Puffs Free Coupon Feb 27 P&G

If you do this deal now without the Vicks $1 coupons, just buy 4 of the Vicks drops and you'll spend just  $3.58 (plus tax) for 4 Vicks Drops and 4 Puffs Tissues!

Three Stores, and a Headache... Part 1

For the two of you out there who actually pay attention to this blog... here is an update on this post.

I set out after work last night with my mind on my money, and my money on my mind... and lots of coupons.

Insert rant #1: The night's chaos began at CVS. In true CVS style every single store in the Saint Louis metro area vastly underestimated the number of people who were going to buy the toothbrushes on sale this week - and they had none. I mean for real, you know the sale is coming, you know there is a coupon in the paper STOCK UP ON THIS CRAP! If I were a store manager I would make it a priority to scan the freaking coupon/deal blogs and actually pay attention to the upcoming sales and try to make sure I have more than 3 of something that is going to be a hot item. Doesn't take a genius... or perhaps it does.

Ok, now onto the fun part... here is what I bought. Guess how much I paid, go on guess. You'll never guess! Come on, come on... GUESS!

If you guessed $5 you are WAY wrong. You are the weakest couponer, goodbye. Wait for it...... waaaaaait for it.... I paid a whole whopping $0.02.... but here's the best part (you're going to love it) - I got $6.58 ECBs back!

I already had $9 worth of ECBs in my wallet, which is how I got this amazing deal... but you can get in on the money making action too. If you look in your Sunday paper from 2/27 in the P&G insert you will find a $0.75 off Crest coupon, or if you were one of the lucky ones to get the Facebook P&G coupon booklet there are $1 off coupons. Here is an example of how to roll your rewards using multiple transactions to maximize your savings/profit (you will need multiples of some coupons, here I assume you are using the $0.75 Crest coupon):

#1
Buy 1 Crest Pro-Health (several varieties on sale) - $3.29
Use $0.75 off Crest 4oz or larger from the Feb 27 P&G insert
Pay $2.54.......Get $3.29 ECB (limit 2)

#2
Buy 1 Crest Pro-Health (several varieties on sale) - $3.29
Buy 1 Dawn 9.5-10.3oz - $0.94
Use $0.75 off Crest 4oz or larger from the Feb 27 P&G insert
Use $0.25 off Dawn dish liquid also from Feb 27 P&G insert
Use $3.29 ECB from #1
Pay $0 (possibly tax).......Get $3.29 ECB (limit 2)

#3
Buy 1 Oral-B Cross Action power toothbrush (if you can find it) - $6
Buy 1 Dawn 9.5-10.3oz - $0.94
Use $3 off Oral-B power toothbrush from Feb 27 P&G insert
Use $0.25 off Dawn dish liquid also from Feb 27 P&G insert
Use $3.29 ECB from #2
Pay $0 (possibly tax).......Get $3 ECB (limit 2)


#4
Buy 1 Oral-B Cross Action power toothbrush (if you can find it) - $6
Use $3 off Oral-B power toothbrush from Feb 27 P&G insert
Use $3 ECB from #3
Pay $0 (possibly tax).......Get $3 ECB (limit 2)

For around $3.00 out of pocket, you'll get 2 toothbrushes, 2 toothpaste, 2 dish soap and $3 more to spend now... or later - on whatever else you might need or want to treat yourself to!