Rite-Aid this Week so Far....As the Soap Lathers

I went to my local Rite-Aid on Monday night.

I had planned on doing the Free Olay Soap Deal.

*Buy 10 2-packs of Olay Soap. It's on sale this week for $2.50. 10x $2.50=$25.00
Use a $5 off $25 Internet Rite-Aid Coupon availabe through the Rite-Aid Website.
Then use 5 $2 Off Olay Coupons from this past Sunday's P&G Coupon Insert.
$25-$5-$10(5x$2)=FREE SOAP(before sales tax).

Unfortunately, my Rite-Aid only had 6 2-packs of Olay Soap left in stock.

So, I tried to come up with some other way to utilize that $5 off $25 Coupon.
I came prepared with other options/coupons.

I tired to do a scenario involving the BLINK TEARS Eye Drops that qualifies as a Single Check Rebate item. That item would get me to $7.99 of the $25 I needed and be free after the SCR.
And they were out of that too.

I tried to get the Colgate MaxFresh Toothpaste on sale for $1.99 with 2 Qs, making it free.
Also out!

The ClinicalStrength Old Spice Deodorant with a SCRebate of $4?
Nada as well.

UGH

It looked pretty bleak at this point, my chances of getting to $25 for minimal out of pocket. I was at $15 with the only 6 packs of Olay Soap in the joint.

I wandered around a bit and looked for other options. I turned a corner and found some of the Colgate Toothpaste on an end display w/other non-dental items that no one had found yet to clear out.

Now I had the Toothpaste & was up to $16.99.

Then I found Bugles BOGO @ $2.19. #2 son LOVES Bugles. For what works out to $1.10 a bag, this went into the cart.

Up to $19.18.

Found the EXCEDRIN Express GelCaps on sale for $1.99(free with my $2 IP Q).

Up to $21.17.

I really hate to buy filler junk to get to a total I need. I'd rather spent a bit more than the bare minimum to get something we'll use or really need. I saw the 4-packs of Vitamin Water for $4.99.

Ouch, that price! More than a buck a bottle!!

And of course, my regional did NOT get the Vitamin Water $1/1 Coupons in last Sunday's coupon inserts! Grrrrr

But #2 son loves this stuff.....and we were almost out anyway.
PLUS, there is a Single Check Rebate when you buy 2 4-packs this week, so I can pick up or work up another scenario later in the week at Rite-Aid and get the second 4-pack & send for the $2.50 rebate. $4.99-$1.25(half the rebate amount)=$3.74 for 4 bottles. I can live with that cost.

So $21.17+$4.99=$26.16.
I can use my $5/25 Q....yay!

I go to the register to ring out.
Everything goes smoothly....she rings everything up.

I give her the Rite-Aid $5/25 Q and then the 6 $2/1 Olay Qs, the Rite-Aid Ad $1/1 Colgate Q, the Colgate $1/1 Man. Q & then the Excedrin $2/1 IP Q.

She says she can't take the Excedrin Q because Rite-Aid only takes ONE Internet Coupon per order and they count the Rite-Aid $5/25 Coupon as an Internet Coupon.

Grrrrr

I am thinking that's lame. The ONLY WAY you can get this Rite-Aid $5/25 Coupon is on the Internet!

My head says.....DOUBLE Grrrrr.

But I SMILE!

So she takes off the Excedrin from my order.
The order is now $.73 short of $25.

Before I could grab a candy bar or pack of gum to put me over $25 again, she gives me my total.
Ooookkkkk....lol

She didn't make me pay for a filler to use the coupon.
That was nice, huh?lolol

Total of items $24.17

Coupons Used....
6 $2/1 Olay...$12
1 RA Colgate...$1
1 Colgate....$1
RA Coupon...$5/25
Coupon Total $19

SubTotal after Qs....$5.17
Including $1.20 Tax=$6.37

$6.37 put on GiftCard from Bayer Offer SCR in Feb.

NO OOP.

Yay!

Oh, the cashier rang up my Excedrin GelCaps($1.99) after the 1st Transaction was done and took my IP Q for it, so this Total was $0...yes, Free Pills! With 3 kids and 3 dogs, I can USE free Migraine Pills.lolol

The Excedrin makes this night's Transaction's VALUE OF PRODUCTS $26.16

Tuesday's Transaction in a different Rite-Aid

They also did NOT have enough Olay Soap Packs to do the FREE Soap deal using the $5/25 Rite-Aid Coupon.
But here is what I did that was even BETTER!

I bought....
4 x Olay Soap 2-Packs @ $2.50 ea.=$10
1 x Blink Tears Eye Drops @ $7.99(Gee, this thing was TINY!)
1 x Old Spice Clinical Deodorant @ $5.99
1 x Colgate MaxFresh Toothpaste @ $1.99
Subtotal....$25.97

Coupons Used...
4 x $2/1 Olay Soap 2-Pack=$8
1 x $2/1 Blink Tears=$2
1 x RA Colgate Q $1=$1
1 x $1 Colgate=$1
1 x $1 Old Spice=$1
1 x $5/25 RA Coupon=$5
Total.....$18

Tax....$.90
TOTAL $8.87
$3.63 on a Gift Card.

OOP....$5.24

Tonight's Transaction's VALUE OF PRODUCTS $25.97

But wait!

Next month, after I send for my Single Check Rebate, I will get back $7.99 for the BLINK TEARS and $4.00 for the OLD SPICE DEODORANT, for a Rebate totaling $11.99.

$5.24 OOP-$11.99= -$6.75 OVERAGE.

Can you say MONEYMAKER?!?! ;-))

And I am planning on heading back to Rite-Aid sometime this week with another $5/25 Coupon to do this scenario, if I can find a store with 3 2-packs of the Olay Soap.

3 x Olay Soap 2-packs @ $2.50 ea. this week=$7.50
1 x KY Yours&Mine Lotion @$15 on sale this week=$15

1 x Vitamin Water 4-pack @ $4.99=$4.99
SubTotal...$27.49

Use Coupons....
3 x $2/1 Olay Soap Packs=$6
1 x $5/1 KY=$5
1 x $5/25 RA Q=$5
Total....$16

$27.49-$16=$11.49+$.69 tax=$12.18

OOP $12.18

Submit for the KY SCR offer #39 for $3 & the Vitamin Water SCR for $2.50.

Rebate total this Transaction=$5.50

Here are the numbers by Transaction.

TRANSACTION #1

Value if Items....$24.17

OOP....................$0.00

Qs redeemed.....$19.00

SCR refund........$0.00

TRANSACTION #1A-The Excedrin
Value of Items....$1.99
OOP....................$0.00
Qs redeemed.....$1.99(adjusted down from $2.00
SCR refund........$0.00

TRANSACTION #2
Value of Items....$25.97
OOP....................$5.24
Qs redeemed.....$18.00
SCR refund........$11.99

TRANSACTION #3
Value if Items....$27.49
OOP....................$12.18
Qs redeemed.....$16.00
SCR refund........$5.50

TRANSACTIONS TOTAL

Value of Items....$79.62+$2.79 tax

OOP................$17.42

GiftCard paid......$10.00

Qs redeemed......$54.99
SCR refund.........$17.49

$17.42 OOP - $17.49SCR Refund = .07¢ OVERAGE!

Essentially, by letting Rite-Aid 'borrow' money from me until I get my Single Check Rebate next month, they are GIVING me almost $80 of stuff AND paying me .07¢ to take it all!

Stay tuned to see how this drama plays out..... ;-)
Sluggy