Sunday's Rite-Aid Trip....Thank Goodness for Tax!

I never did go back to Rite-Aid last week to do the "Buy $50 in P&G products, Get a $15+Ups Reward" deal.  Frankly, I don't need most of the stuff that qualified for the deal....except for the Gain Dishwashing Liquid that was free after coupons....that would have been sweet!

But I did run out Sunday morning to Rite-Aid because I had to get a notebook for my nephew for school, so I went ahead and got my total to $25 so I could use a $5 off coupon.

Here's what I bought.....

1 x Mead Notebook $5.79--with 20% wellness discount=$4.63
1 x L'Oreal Haircolor on sale $8.99/reg. $9.29--20% wellness discount was cheaper than sale price=$7.43
1 x Crest Toothpaste on sale=$2.99
1 x BioTrue $4.99--with 20% wellness discount=$3.99
2 x Right Guard Deodorant BOGO sale($4.69 ea.)=$4.69
1 x KitKat Bar $.50--with 20% wellness discount=$.40
SubTotal....$24.13***

Coupons Used
1 x $5 off $25 AdPerks/VV IPQ=$5.00
1 x $2/1 L'Oreal HairColor In-Ad Q=$2.00
1 x $2/1 L'Oreal HairColor ManuQ=$2.00
1 x $1/1 Crest Toothpaste ManuQ=$1.00
1 x $2/1 BioTrue IPQ=$2.00
2 x $1.50/ RightGuard Defense 5 IPQ=$3.00
Coupon Total.....$15.00

$24.13-$15.00=$9.13

Used
$2 Rite-Aid Q-good on anything in the store(sent to me for +Ups that didn't print)
$5 +Ups from Garnier purchase of last week
Equals....$7.00

$9.13-$7.00=$2.13 Total, put on free Rite-Aid Gift Cards so ZERO OOP.

+Ups Rewards earned.....$4(BioTrue), $2(Crest Toothpaste), $2(L'Oreal), $1(Dial-RightGuard)=$9.00


***According to my calculator(which I use to add up my total before I get to the register), I had $27 and change worth of items to buy.  I didn't figure in the wellness disc. on the BioTrue(I assumed that $4.99 was a sale price!)and that a 20% wellness disc. was LOWER than the sale price on the L'Oreal Haircolor.  So instead of being over $25 in purchases I was UNDER by about 2 cents, according to the cashier.  So I grabbed the KitKat bar, which also was only $.40 rather than the sale price of $.50 with the 20% wellness discount.  After adding in the candy bar, the register showed I was over the $25 threshold($25.15) and the cashier took my $5 off $25 Q.
When I add it all up above, it shows I am only at $24.13 before the coupons are deducted....WTF

I have finally figured out that when the register shows your total(with sale or wellness disc. prices, before the cashier starts deducting Qs)it is including SALES TAX.....so your sales tax could be what is getting you over the magical $25 mark.  But many times when I use Qs, the registers here take all sales tax off, even if you buy an item that is taxed and you don't have enough Qs to make that item free.....all sales tax is wiped off of your transaction.
The sales taxed items on my transaction added $1.02 to my total at the register after the addition of the candy bar and BEFORE the Qs were deducted.
After the Qs, my $25.15 total went to $2.13.  I used $22 in QS/+Ups--which brings my total to $3.15.  So if you deduct the sales tax of $1.02 as well, the total drops to $2.13--which was my amount due.

So this must be what is happening-the sales tax on the taxable items is getting me over the $25 mark in the register but then when the Qs are deducted on the sale, the sales tax is also deducted from your transaction, making your grand total even lower.
It is thoroughly confusing....but nearly HALF as confusing as the hinky way that Target receipts show how your purchases were figured!  Am I right people??lol


THIS TRIP
Total Spent....$2.13 (put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$34.74
SCR qualified for...$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$9.00


MONTHLY TOTALS-September Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......3
Total Spent....$11.58 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$115.84
SCR qualified for....$0 in cash and $0 in Gift Cards
Other Cash....$0
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0
+Up Rewards spent....$18.00
+Up Rewards earned....$16.00

Total 'Spent'...$11.58 on gift cards
Total Cash I'm getting Back=$0
Total Gift Cards I'm getting=$0
+Up Rewards left to spend=$10.00



Sluggy

Finishing up Last Week's Deals at Rite-Aid...12/27/09-1/2/10

I made 3 trips to Rite-Aid on Saturday to do the deals. #1 & 2 with Hubby and another trip later for something I forgot.

Trip #1
5 x Soy Joy on sale @$.60=$3.00
1 x Crest Toothpaste on sale=$2.49
1 x Metamucil Capsules on sale=$9.49
1 x Oral B Toothbrush on sale=$5.00
1 x Xmas Mint M&Ms on clearance=$1.99
SubTotal....$21.97

Coupons Used
1 x $5 off $20 AdPerks Rite-Aid IPQ=$5.00
1 x $1/1 Crest Toothpaste ManuQ=$1.00
1 x $3/1 Metamucil ManuQ=$3.00
1 x $3/1 Oral B Toothbrush ManuQ=$3.00
1 x $1/1 Wellness CRT Q Any Seasonal Item=$1.00
Coupons Total....$13.00

$21.97-$13.00=$8.97
$1.57 put on Gift Card=$7.40 OOP

SCRebates qualified for....
$3 Soy Joy
$1 Crest Toothpaste
$5 Metamucil
$2 Oral B Toothbrush
Total...$11.00 in Rebates

$7.40OOP-$11SCR=$3.60 Moneymaker!

There is a $1/1 Oral Care Wellness Q available that I forgot to use.  I could have used 1 on the toothbrush and 1 on the toothpaste for an additional overage of $2, making this a $5.60 Moneymaker.....sigh....

Trip #2
1 x Oral B Toothbrush on sale=$5.00
1 x Pantene on sale=$3.00
2 x Natrol Acai Berry Capsules on sale BOGO=$13.99
1 x Xmas Paper on clearance=$1.99 *Not Pictured*
SubTotal....$23.98

Coupons Used
1 x $5 off $20 AdPerk Rite-Aid IPQ=$5.00
1 x $3/1 Oral B Toothbrush=$3.00 Again, I forgot the $1/1 Oral Care WellnessQ
1 x $2/1 Pantene HomeMailer=$2.00
2 x $3/1 Natrol Vitamin IPQ=$6.00 These wouldn't scan but cashier manually put them through
2 x $2/1 Any Vitamin Item $2 or more Wellness IPQ=$4.00
1 x $1/1 Any Seasonal Item CRT WellnessQ=$1.00
Coupon Total.....$21.00

$23.98-$21.00=$2.98 OOP

 Single Check Rebates qualified for....
$2 Oral B Toothbrush for BIL's Account

$2.98-$2.00=$.98 OOP

I forgot to do the Nyquil SCR for BIL so it was back for a quicky that evening.....

Trip #3
1 x Nyquil on sale=$4.99
1 x Glade Candle on sale=$2.79
1 x Physician's Formula Lipstick on clearance 75% off=$2.48
2 x Cover Girl on sale BOGO=$3.39 for both
1 x Xmas Candy on clearance=$1.79
SubTotal....$15.44

Coupons Used
1 x $3 off $15 Rite-Aid Purchase Wellness IPQ=$3.00
1 x $1.50/1 Nyquil ManuQ=$1.50
1 x $2/1 Any OTC Cough or Cold Product CRT WellnessQ=$2.00
1 x $2/1 Glade Product ManuQ=$2.00
2 x $2/1 Any Beauty Item Wellness IPQ=$4.00
1 x $1/1 Any Seasonal Item CRT WellnessQ=$1.00
Coupon Total....$13.50

$15.44-$13.50=$1.94 OOP

SCRebates qualified for....
$2 Nyquil for BIL's Account

$1.94-$2.00=$.06 Moneymaker

Well, not quite as good as I would have liked but ok.  This is what happens when you don't take your calculator and have to rely on your brain.lol  I had and could have used 3 x $2/1 Wellness Beauty Q(since I had 3 beauty products), but since it was almost closing time on Saturday night, the staff had removed all the sale signage for the week's ad and I couldn't remember if the CoverGirl was BOGO or B1G50% 1, so I ended up being 6 cents short to use all 3 of my $2/1 Qs!ugh  If I had bought a pack of Ramen noodles or something similar in price I could have been OOP only .50¢ or so, for an approx. $1.50 Moneymaker.
Live and learn.

My Rite-Aid OOP for the month so far........$12.88
My Rite-Aid Single Check Rebates so far....$26.00
Overage of $13.12 for January SCR Period


Sluggy 

General Electric Holiday Lighting Coupon + Sale on Lights at Lowe's=Less $ OOP

I have been feeling under the weather the last 2 days.  If anyone wants to come bring me some chicken soup it would be much appreciated. 8-)

It's probably just a sinus infection(which I get 1 or 2 times a year)or a run-of-the-mill cold so I'm popping Vitamin C, doing Neti Pot sinus rinsing and hydrating myself until I resemble a balloon float in the Macy's Turkey Day Parade.

Anyway, I wanted to alert my Environmental Warrior-type Readers to a deal.

The 'hot' thing in Christmas decorating seems to be LED Lights.  These use alot less energy than the regular type of Christmas light string.
Now I know that people who decorate with lights are NOT going to stop, nor would I tell you to.  But if you are going to use lights in your decorating, why not use something that is not as bad for the environment?
We drug out our old lights this week.  I think we are down to 3 strings that still work so now we have to find some way to dispose of the broken ones.  For something that only gets used a few days a year, these things sure don't last long, do they? 
Anyway, you all know I am CHEAP....er, I mean frugal, so I've been wrestling with myself about making the jump to the LEDs(for the energy savings) vs. the larger cost for the new technology.

But GE has come to my rescue!lol
There is a PDF format Coupon for $3 off GE LED Lights located HERE.
Pair this Q up with a current sale at Lowe's on the 50 Count GE LED Mini Lights for $5.97 a string and you can get them for $2.97.
Hubby & I priced these LED things earlier this week at Walmart.  The 60 count LEDs there(I don't remember if they were GEs however)were $10.99!
The Q is good for ANY GE LED lighting product so you can probably find something you can use it on.....you don't have to get the Mini lights.

The Q does say "offer limited to one purchase", so if your cashier/store has a problem with the difference between transaction & purchase, this could be a YMMV situation, where you have to bring along more family members/friends to each buy 1 string or go through difference register lines and buy 1 string per transaction or hit alot of different Lowe's.  Just a heads up.....

The sale at Lowe's runs until the 7th, so hurry and print this to use soon if you want those $2.97 lights!

Sluggy

My KMart TOTALS for Double Coupons Week 9/27-10/3/09

Well.....last week was a fog for me.
A fog of KMarts.
Mr. Bluelight is my dealer and KMart is my own personal crack.
I can't say no to a KMart Double Coupons Event it seems....no matter how I try!
*sigh*
I blogged about my first 2 back-to-back trips last Sunday HERE.

I ended up doing NINE MORE TRANSACTIONS(some were multiple transactions in 1 trip mind you).  I was doing pretty well during the week....a trip here, a trip there.
It wasn't too bad until Saturday.
I took a Mental Health Day on Saturday.  A Mental Health Day for me involves leaving the house by myself....getting away from the dogs, the kids and the hubby.

So where did I go for my MHD this time?
Some times I go to the movies, some times I go to a Chinese Auction(a local form of raffle/auction/fundraising activity).
I went grocery shopping and KMart shopping this time!
Not only did I have KMarts to hit but I had expired & expiring ECBs to use and OYNO Cats for a local grocery store to use as they expired Sat. night.  So between the KMarts I squeezed in a trip to CVS, a trip to the local independent grocery store & a trip to scout out a Grocery Outlet I've seen but have never been in.

Like a junkie on Smack I woke up Sunday morning and couldn't remember what all I had bought at KMart last week beyond the 1st day of the double coupons last Sunday.
It was all a blur.
Seriously people.
It was that bad.

It took me all day Sunday to recover physically from all the walking with my poor arthritic knee on Saturday.
I spent Monday digging receipts, OYNO catalinas and bags of stuff out of the car.
I spent Tuesday schlepping everything into the house to photograph and then out to the stockpile or whereever it needed to go.
I spent Wednesday morning writing this and uploading pics.

Here are the photos of the 9 Transactions worth of stuff I got last week, beyond last Sundays 2 transactions.

The Pet Food....

The Snack Food & Candy....

The Ziploc Bag Collection....

The Cleaning Products....

More Food & Drink....

Toiletries & Medicine type stuff....

The Glade Collection....

More Pet Food....

More Food, Snacks & Halloween Candy....

More Toiletries, Cleaners & Glade candles....

Total for these trips....
Value  $717.58
OOP  $100.20-2 x $25 Pharmacy Gift Cards=$50.20

Grand Total for ALL KMart Trips....
Value $812.70
OOP $52.12
Savings of 93.59%


I also earned $55 in OYNO Catalina Coupons for KMart.  I spent $15 of those in the course of the week on this loot so I have $40 left in OYNO Cats to spend.
In addition, I have 2 $5 Coupons for Holiday Candy, so after Halloween I can get $10 worth of clearanced Halloween Candy or Christmas Candy.
Hellooooo.....can you say FREE CHOCOLATE?!lol

I also have 6 separate receipts to send in for the SC Johnson Rebate/Buy 3 Get $5 back.  The Rebate is a limit of 3 per household, so I can send 3 of them in for BIL.  That will give me $30 in rebates bringing my OOP down to $22.12.


Here's a list of what things actually cost after doubled coupons(before additional $5 off $50 purchase coupons were figured in)...

FREE
Cat Wet Food
Cat Treats
Dog Wet Food
Dog Biscuits
Protein Bars
Individual Candy Bars
Bags of Lifesavers
Most of the Ziploc Bags
Chili
Wheat Thins
Venom Drinks
Coffee Mate
Dove Deodorant
Speed Stick Deo
Tag Deodorant
Skintimate Shave Gel
Visine
Dental Floss
Vaseline
some of the Glade Refills
Glade Soy Candles 2 oz.
Halls Drops
Worcestershire Sauce
Kashi Bars

.49¢ or .50¢
Glade 3 wick Candles
Glade Reed Diffusers
some of the Glade Refills
Glade Candle Tins
the 'eVolve' Ziploc Bags
Bags of Hershey Kisses
Bags of Hershey Miniature Bars
Pringles
Bags of Buttefingers
Suave Shampoo
Vaseline(.19¢)
Emergen-C Packets(.14¢)
Dawn Dish Soap
Chow Mein Noodle Bowls
Salad Dressing(.69¢)

$1.00
Nail Polish
Pert Shampoo

$1.49 
Cakesters
Cascade ($1.29)
Clairol Hair Coloring($1.38)
Bags of Reese's, KitKats, Heath Bars($1.83)
Tide Stain Booser

$2.00
Bags of Bliss Candy
Batteries (8 packs)

$7.00
All Detergent (96 load size)



Please don't let there be Double Coupons at KMart for the rest of this year!
I don't think I could stand anymore!!lol

Sluggy

Sunday at Rite-Aid Shakin' my Moneymaker!

This is a first!
It's Sunday & I have completed my shopping at Rite-Aid for the week already.

Lots of great Freebie Deals(the ones with full price Single Check Rebates)& also some are Moneymakers if you have coupons to use too!

I printed 2 $5 off $25 purchase IP coupons and headed to the store....things didn't go exactly as planned but I had back-up options too.

Here are the SCR Deals I am working this week....

Gillette Razor 86# $5.00 rebate.
Crest w/Scope Toothpaste #127 $2.69 rebate.
Oral B Advantage Artica Toothbrush #120 $2.69 rebate.
Aveeno Products #5  Buy 4, Get $7.00 rebate.
ProFoot assorted products  #6  Buy 3, Get $10.00 rebate.
Nivea Lip product #85  $2.00 rebate.
Single Check Rebates of $29.38.

Now the shopping....

Transaction #1

1 x Gillette Fusion Gamer Razor $9.99 on sale $9.00
1 x Crest with Scope Toothpaste $3.79 on sale $2.69
1 x Oral B Advantage "Artica" $3.69 Toothbrush on sale $2.69
1 x Synovium Pain Relief Gel(Profoot) $7.99 on sale $5.00
2 x Aveeno Daily Moisture Lotion(small tube) $3.49 on sale $2.79=$5.58
1 x Crest PM Night Rinse $4.29 on clearance 75%off $1.07
SubTotal  $26.03

Coupons Used
1 x $5/25 Rite-Aid Q=$5.00
1 x Gillette Fusion Gamer Razor $4/1 from 9/27 paper=$4.00
1 x Crest with Scope Toothpaste $1/1 from Aug. paper=$1.00
1 x Oral B Advantage "Artica" $1/1 from 9/27 paper=$1.00
1 x Synovium Pain Relief Gel $2/1 IP Q=$2.00
2 x Aveeno Daily Moisture Lotion $2/1 IP Q=$4.00
1 x Crest Pro-Health Rinse $1/1 from Aug. paper=$1.00
1 x Aveeno $3/1 Facial Rite-Aid AdPerks Q=$3.00
SubTotal  $21.00

$26.03-$21.00=$5.03+.22tax=$5.25OOP

**I had a second Aveeno $3 AdPerks Q but evidently I didn't give it to the cashier, so my total would have been $3 lower.  And I was sure the Q would beep because the items were less than $3 and I used a $2/1 Q AND that $3 AdPerks one, but no beeps!

Then I stopped back on my way home from Kmart and did....

Transaction #2

1 x Nivea Lip Creme $3.99 on sale $2.99
1 x Heel Cream Rescue Lotion(Profoot) $7.99 on sale $5.00
1 x Synovium Pain Relief Gel(Profoot) $7.99 on sale $5.00
2 x Aveeno Men's Shaving Gel $4.99  on sale $3.99=$7.98
1 x Rite-Aid Shopping Bag $.99
1 x Water Bottle $.99
1 x Lavoris Cinnamon Mouth Rinse $3.99 on clearance 75%off=$.99
4 x Mighty Dog canned Food $.99 on clearnace 50%off .49¢=$1.96
1 x Newspaper  $1.50 *Not Pictured*
SubTotal  $27.40


Coupons Used
1 x $5/25 Rite-Aid IP Q=$5.00
1 x Nivea Lip Creme $1/1 from Aug. paper=$1.00
1 x Heel Cream Rescue Lotion $1/1 Hangtag Q on item=$1.00
1 x Synovium Pain Relief Gel $2/1 IP Q=$2.00
2 x Aveeno Men's Shaving Gel $1/1 9/27 insert Q=$2.00
2 x Aveeno  $3/1 Rite-Aid AdPerks Q=$6.00
1 x Rite-Aid Shopping Bag FREE ITEM Q=$.99(from Oral Care Booklet Offer)
1 x Water Bottle FREE ITEM Q=$.99(from Oral Care Booklet Offer)
SubTotal  $18.98

$27.40-$18.98= $8.42+.54¢tax=$8.96OOP



$5.25+$8.96=$14.21OOP
Minus Rebates of $29.38=$15.17 Moneymaker!
I get all this stuff(over $69 of regular retail) AND Rite-Aid is going to PAY ME $15.17 to take it.
That's crazy!

I like crazy.....


I had planned to get 2 Tylenol 8 Hr.(24 ct. on sale BOGO-$4.99 this week)in the second transaction to get me to the $25 threshold.  With 2 $2/1 Qs, 2 bottles would have cost me .99¢ OOP.  Instead I had to substitute a newspaper(would have bought that anyway), and the clearance mouth rinse & dog food.  I could have done $2 less but I forgot my calculator and didn't want to chance being under $25 total.

The key to such a large MM this week was finding the smaller/less expensive Aveeno products and using the $3/1 AdPerks AND the Manu. Qs on each product.  If I hadn't forgotten the 1 Q on the first transaction, I would have over a $18 MM instead.  Oh well....nobody is perfect.lol

My trip to KMart on Sunday will have to wait until next time. ;-)

Sluggy

KMart Double Coupons Week of Aug. 30th-Sept. 5th....Grand Total for the Week

 As for KMart discontinuing their Double Coupons Events for the rest of 2009.....
I am torn.

In one way I am glad but in another I am sad.
Sad obviously because I'll not be shopping at KMart and getting products for free or almost free, not to mention the items I get a really good deal on too.
Glad would be because I have NO willpower against these double coupon weeks and I have 3 KMarts in my area(one being located a few scant miles from my front door).  Though I have spent very little cash at KMart this year, I have TONS of products-even after holding my Garage Sale in July.
Frankly, I am so tired & shopped out!
And it's all your fault KMart, ya hear me?!?! 8-))



So last week was my KMart Swan Song for 2009.
sniff....sniff....


Sunday morning hubby & I were in western PA, having dropped off #1 son at college.  Of course, I had to hit the local KMart near our hotel before hitting the road to head home....wouldn't you?lol
Now I had heard about what some KMarts have been doing during Double Coupons Weeks but I witnessed it firsthand in this particular KMart.
Some one in charge at some stores get ahold of the current coupon database and go around and yank all the items off the shelves that would be free with a doubled coupon.  That way, the store doesn't have to sell them at a loss.  Of course, no one can prove anything because KMarts regularly run out on the shelves of these items, usually early in the week if not the first day of the Double Coupon sale.
Nice and devious, right?
The store management wins because they can report to corporate that they Chose to participate(which corporate likes and the store gets a 'Gold Star' for conduct) AND they don't have to take a hit on their profit margins since they aren't actually selling anything for free.  Win-Win for the store, Lose-Lose for the customers.

After months and months of KMart Double Coupons Week shopping, I am old hat at what items are free after a doubled coupon.  So, of course I brought every coupon with me on the trip to take son to college, as I knew the DC Sale was starting the morning we left the western part of the state.  And if I happened to drive by a KMart participating in the sales promotion, I was surely going to go in and do some shopping!

The dingy old tiny KMart in Meadville, PA I went into had cleared the shelves of all the food/toiletries/hba products that were free after doubled coupons!
Every.
Single.
Item I looked for.
I KNOW it was NOT a case of other shoppers had beaten me to the store and bought every single free after coupons item.
Nope.
We got to the store very EARLY in the morning.  Employees were still arriving.  No one in the store(ok maybe 3 people shopping but in the clothing & toy sections)and a couple cars in the parking lot.  No shoppers would have had the time or couponage to clear the shelves in the entire store!
Nope.
It was an inside job!

Ok, for argument's sake, I will mention that the only valid explanation(besides the DEVIOUS ONE)for the lack of 'free after doubled coupons items' on the shelves would be that the store had NOT restocked ANY products in the week between the last Double Coupons Week(IF this store had participated)and the Double Coupons Week that had just begun that morning.
But my conspiracy theory warped mind highly doubts this is the case.

Anyway, it was highly unpleasant to find this kind of thing firsthand.  And as a result, I ended up spending Out of Pocket at this store WAAAAAY more than I usually do, which brought my Savings % totals for the week down from something like 98.5% to 93.86%!
Bleh.
And Pppbbbbbbbttttttt! to you KMart in Meadville, PA!!
Shame on you Mr/Mrs. Manager of same!

I spent a ridiculous $29.11(including tax)at that KMart!  I had some $3 coupons that were expiring for Dog Food that I wanted to use, so that added to my OOP.  The dog food was still a good buy however!
I also forgot my Axe coupons and this store had the free movie ticket deal(WYB 3 Axe products), so I bought 3 Axe items without coupons....ACK!...spending $12.03 to get a $12 ticket.  Not bad but not great.

Fortunately, after this rocky start to my KMart Double Coupons Week shopping, I recovered nicely and ended the week with 14 Transactions.

I just happened to need refills on 2 prescriptions, so after transferring them to KMart last week, I had $35 in KMart Gift Cards to play with, as well as 2 Prepaid Visa Cards from Staples Rebates that came in the week before.  So the bulk of my "what I owed" after the coupons came off, got paid with Gift Cards, sending my OOP for the week from $93.36 to $37.65.

My actual Out of Pocket for the rest of the week was $8.54(including tax), for a total OOP of $37.65.
The value of everything I bought came to $613.12.
That's a Savings of 93.86% 

Add in the following 'perks' as well....
$12 Movie Ticket
$2.79 Rebate for buying Palmolive Pure + Clear Dishwashing Soap.  With the $1 coupon doubled it cost me $.79.

2 x $10 Fuel for School Rebates for buying Special K Bars and Rice Krispy Treats=$20
(With sales prices & coupons doubled, the 2 sets of 10 Kellogg's products set me back $9.37 & $9.92 OOP respectively,so they are tiny moneymakers.  I saved the KMart FFS Rebate forms from an old KMart ad in the newspaper-this one has a different PO Box than the other Rebate forms I've seen, so you can send for this one as well as the others, making FOUR different Rebate addresses I can use.  I'll send for a Rebate for myself and for BIL at his address for these KMart purchased items.)


After I get the $22.79 in Rebates my actual KMart OOP spending falls to $14.86! (97.58% Savings)


Here's a list of everything I bought last week during the KMart Double Coupons Event. I have added in red what I actually paid for them individually after the doubled coupons.  Add in assorted $3 or $5 off when you spend XX$s Coupons, so the 'actual' what I spent on any item is lower than what is quoted here, but it's pretty close.

FOOD
Hershey's Syrup  4 $1.00
Bumble Bee Tuna  6 FREE
Salad Dressing   2  .29¢
Cereal  1  .29¢
Protein Bars   4  FREE
Grape Jelly   2  .50¢
Purevia Sugar Substitute  1 .49¢
Butterfinger Bags   4  $1.50
Amp Drinks  46  .25¢
Venom Drinks  4  FREE
12 packs of Soda 8  2@$1.00/4@$1.67/2@FREE
Lifesaver Bags   17  FREE
Raisinets (Box of 6)   2  $1.00
Rice Krispy Treats   6  $1.17   
Special K Cereal Bars  14  4@$1.00/10@$1.50
Candy Bars  36  FREE
Trident Gum Packs  6 (double packs)  .19¢ or FREE(depending on store's price)
Extra Gum 3 pack  1  $1.49

PET FOOD
Dog Chow(22lb. bag)  1  $10.99(my coupon had expired but I bought it anyway)
Hartz Dog Biscuits  5  1@FREE/4@$1.00
Milkbones Biscuits  1  FREE
GoodLife Small Bags Dog Food  2  $2.99

TOILETRIES
Bic Razors   3  FREE
Secret Deodorant  11  FREE
Dove Deodorant  12   FREE
Tag Deodorant  4  FREE
Dial Deodorant  4  FREE
Axe Deodorant  1  $3.79
Axe Body Wash   2  $3.95/$4.29
VO5 Shampoo  21  .42¢
Vaseline Lotion  4  FREE
Dial Body Wash   1  $1.00
Toothbrush Twin Pack  1  .19¢
Dental Floss   1  FREE
Dental Floss Picks  1  .19¢

Nail Polish  6  3@.99¢/3@.29¢
Clean & Clear Face Cleaner  2  .49¢
Visine  4  FREE
Tweezers  1 .29¢

CLEANERS/PAPER PRODUCTS
Palmolive Dish Soap  1  .79¢(before Rebate)
Ajax Dish Soap  4  FREE
Huggies Wipes   4  FREE
Dial Hand Soap  5  1@$1.50/4@.40¢
Ziploc Bags   2  $1.00
Renuzit  Air Cleaner(double pack)  1  $1.89
Playtex Gloves  3  FREE
Wet Ones Wipes  2  FREE
Kotex  2   $1.49($6.99 packages on clearance for $3.49-$1Q doubled)
Hefty Bags  1  $5.49

MISC.
Notebook Tab Dividers  1  $3.29(not on sale/no coupon...the kids needed)
Batteries(8 pack)  1  $2.99

And here are the pictures.
First the Devious KMart in western PA....(2 Amps & Dog Food bags are missing)....

Then Trip #2 that evening at home.....

 I just ran out of time and energy during the week to photograph it all separately.  I photographed the trips on 9/3 separately, but the rest are all grouped together.  These 12 trips were over the course of 3 days at the end of the week.  Midweek I was dealing with the 2 kids left at home getting back to school and into a regular routine again.Not pictured are the 8 12-packs of Soda, the 20lb. bag of Dog Food, the tweezers, the tab dividers, the Tylenol Arthritis, 2 of the nail polish, some of the Amp Drinks and a few candy bars(the kids & I are to blame for that one.lol).

First the 2 trips on 9/3/09....

Now the other 10 trips on friday & saturday all together....not great photo quality and you can't see the duplicates of items behind each other very well in some shots.

 

Adieu KMart doubles.....adieu!

Sluggy

Rite-Aid Overload & a Freebie with Coupon good until Sept. 30th

I am waiting for the phone to ring any minute.
Why?
Because I haven't been into my local Rite-Aid all week!

I am sure after the number of trips into Rite-Aid I made in August, they believe I have moved away from this town or have fallen deathly ill, since they haven't seen my face since the morning of August 28th, 7 whole days ago!
And they need to know that I am ok, so they will be calling me any minute.

I do enjoy a good healthy Single Check Rebate check, especially when it means that I've gotten all those items I bought at Rite-Aid for FREE once the check comes in.

But last month.....
Last month I went a tad overboard, let's say.
I say this because I am waiting on a Single Check Rebate of.....ahem......$184.66 & a $10 Gift Card & a $5 off Coupon for Kelloggs.
Oh yes, and the Summer Care Tote Bag of goodies too.

I plead that it wasn't all MY fault that I will end up having spent actual money when the check comes in later this month.  I ended up purchasing some unplanned items there.  Items needed at the last minute for #1 son to take to college and some actual items that we needed(of a medical nature)that I didn't have coupons for &/or were not on sale.

The horror!!!

Usually I get it where all the items I buy at Rite-Aid cost under or as much as the Rebate check I get back.  This time once the Rebate check comes in, I will have gone over it by $34.73(I don't count the gift card/coupons I get back as cash).
So in the end, my $745.14 worth of stuff I bought at Rite-Aid will have cost me out of pocket, including tax, $34.73 of my cash.

Not exactly free but still.....a tremendous value as it's all stuff we can use or we need.
Except the Renu Contact Solution that was free after rebate.  I don't know WHAT I was thinking on that one!lolol

Now to make reading this post profitable to all of you readers, there is a coupon available for a new herbal/homeopathic item HERE.  It's called CANKERMELTS.  It's a treatment for Canker Sores of the mouth.
The link is a PDF so just print it out, cut the coupon and take it to either Rite-Aid or Walgreen's by September 30th and get a free box. 

The stuff retails for $7.99 for a small box of 12 so go get some to try if you are bothered by canker sores. 
And let me know if it works for you.


Sluggy

Walgreen's Trips for 8/16-8/22

While down in PhillyLand last Tuesday I went to the Walgreens that's a block away from Acme. I had to do something between Acme transactions, right?lol

I wanted to do the Huggies Wipes Deal. The Wipes down there were an outrageous $3.59 a box! Geez, I thought our Wags was high at $3.29...

Here is what I bought....


1 x Soft Soap Body Wash $3.99(the one that gave a $4RR)
4 x Huggies Wipes @$3.59=$14.36
And then some fillers so I could use my $5RR that was expiring...
2 x Chapstick 3 pack clearance @$1.19=$2.38
1 x Wags Cough Drops clearance @.25¢=$.25
1 x Coconut M&Ms(these are REALLY good!lol)=$.69
Subtotal=$21.67

Coupons Used
2 x $1/2 Huggies Wipes=$2.00
4 x $2/1 Wags IVF Q=$8.00
Total=$10.00

$21.67-$10.00=$11.67

RRs Used
$5
$6
Total=$11.00

$11.67-$11=$.67
Tax=$.39
TOTAL=$1.06OOP

Received RRs....$4(Soft Soap)

Then I went to Visit with my Girlfriend Cashiers on Saturday at WAGS and rolls some more RRs.
It was also the last day of the special Spend $25 in 1 Transaction, Get a $5RR. It was $25 BEFORE Coupons so it was worth doing. I also had my eye out for the clearanced Zyrtec that gave $5RR when you buy two.




Transaction #1

1 x Fusion Razor=$8.99
1 x Gillette Shampoo=$3.99 on clearance
1 x Gillette Body Wash=$4.99
1 x Zyrtec Children's Syrup @$1.39 on clearance=$1.39
1 x Zyrtec Children's Syrup @$3.29 on clearance=$3.29
1 x Starbucks Drink=$1.89
1 x Soft Soap Body Wash=$3.99
Subtotal=$28.53

Coupons Used
1 x $2/1 Razor=$2.00
1 x Free Gillette Shampoo WYB Razor=$3.99
1 x Free Gillette Body Wash WYB Razor=$4.99
1 x $2/1 Zyrtec=$2.00
1 x $1/1 Starbucks=$1.00
1 x $.64 Wags Q=$.64
Total=$14.62

$28.53-$14.62=$13.91

RRs Used
$6,$6=$12.00

$13.91-$12.00=$1.91
Tax $1.32=$3.23OOP

Received RRs....
$4(Soft Soap),$5(Zyrtec),$5(spend $25)=$14RRs

I don't know WHY some of the Zyrtec on clearance was $3.29 and some $1.39! Same bottles, same UPC codes and same expiration dates on the boxes. Weird...


Transaction #2

5 x Pop-Tarts=$10
4 x Huggies Wipes@$3.29=$13.16
2 x Velveeta Cups@$1.29=$2.58
Subtotal=$25.74

Coupons Used
2 x $1/2 Pop-Tarts=$2.00
2 x $1/2 Huggies Wipes=$2.00
4 x $2/1 Huggies Wipes Wags Q=$8.00
1 x BOGO Velveeta Cups@$1.29=$1.29
Subtotal=$13.29

$25.74-$13.29=$12.45

RRs Used
$5,$6=$11.00

$12.45-$11.00=$1.45OOP

Received RRs
$5(for $25 order), $5(Pop-Tarts), $1(Velveeta Cups)=$11.00RR


Transaction #3

1 x Fusion Razor=$8.99
1 x Gillette Shampoo=$3.99 on clearance
1 x Gillette Body Wash=$4.99
2 x Zyrtec Children's Syrup @$3.29 on clearance=$6.58
1 x Starbucks Drink=$1.89
3 x Ramen Noodles(filler so I could use RRs to pay)=$1.00
Subtotal=$27.44

Coupons Used
1 x $2/1 Fusion Razor=$2.00
1 x Free Gillette Shampoo WYB Razor=$3.99
1 x Free Gillette Body Wash WYB Razor=$4.99
2 x $2/1 Zyrtec Children's Syrup=$4.00
1 x Starbucks Drink=$1.00
1 x Wag Q Starbucks=$.64
Total=$16.62

$27.44-$16.62=$10.82

RRs Used
$5,$4,$1=$10.00

$10.82-$10.00=$.82
Sales Tax $1.08=$1.90OOP

Received RRs
$5(for $25 order), $5(Zyrtec)=$10.00RR



Transaction #4

2 x Zyrtec Children's Syrup @$1.39 on clearance=$2.78(found 2 more marked lower!)
2 x Red Baron Pizzas on sale $3=$6.00 **NOT PICTURED**

Subtotal=$8.78

Coupons Used
1 x $2/1 Zyrtec Children's Syrup=$2.00
2 x $1/1 Red Baron=$2.00

Total=$4.00

$8.78-$4.00=$4.78

RRs Used
$3

$4.78-$3.00=$1.78OOP

Received RRs
$5(Zyrtec)=$5.00RR

TOTALS for the Week....
Value of Items $166.37
Out of Pocket Spent $9.42
Savings of $156.95 or 94.33%

RRs Used=$47
RRs Received=$44

Sluggy

Real Cheap Johnson's Baby Products became FREE at Rite-Aid on Saturday

Remember my post on Saturday, located Here, where I talked about how to get Johnson's Baby Wash/Oil/Powder for REAL CHEAP?

Well I had an inspiration about 7 pm that evening, right before I was going to head up to Rite-Aid to finish off purchasing the second half of the products for my $25 level Rebate.

I had already bought these on Friday....
7 Johnson's Baby Products @ $3.50=24.50(just .50¢ short of the $5 level of SCR #97)
1 Ez Start Duck Tape @ $1.49(freebie after $1.49 SCR)
1 Tag Body Spray @$2.99(.99¢ after $2/1 Q)-this was for #2 son, I didn't have to buy it to get to $25 total so I could use the $5/$25 Rite-Aid Q

Total was $28.98
Used Coupons....
$5 Rite-Aid (on a $25 purchase)
7 $1/1 Johnson's
1 $2/1 Tag
Q Total=$14.00

$28.98-$14=$14.98+tax

So for SCR #97, I needed to purchase an additional $25.50($24.50 already spent on Johnson's) to get to $50 spent & qualify for the $25 Rebate check.
I WAS going to buy 8 more Johnson's Baby Products to get over $50, and be OOP $2.50+tax for all that Johnson's after the SCRebate came in.
But I thought of another way to get to $50 and have an OOP of ZERO after the Rebate.

Instead of the 8 Johnson's, I bought....
5 Johnson's @$3.50=$17.50
2 Benadryl Gel @$4.50=$9.00--the Benadryl/Cortaid Anti-Itch items were also on sale last week AND they also qualify for the SCR#97 AS WELL AS there own SCR #52($2 SCR on purchase of 2 items). I had $1/1 Qs for all the Johnson's and for the Benadryl too.
So after the Qs(14x$1 coupons+2x$5 Rite-Aid coupons=$24 off) & sale prices I am OOP $27 on $51 worth of items that qualify for SCR #97 & #52 and I'll get $27 back($25+$2) on these $51 worth of items in the SCR. Technically OOP Zero before sales tax.

Yes!!!
Doing the Happy Dance.

Afterwards I also saw that SCR#52 could be done 3 times and you could have turned this into a small Moneymaker if you had bought in 2 transactions....
7 Johnson's @$3.50=$24.50
6 Cortaid or Benadryl=$27.00
SubTotal of $51.50
Used 13 $1/1 Qs & 2 Rite-Aid $5 off Qs=23.00
OOP=$28.50
Submit for SCR#97($25), #52 x3($6)=$31 Rebate...$2.50Moneymaker!
The $2.50 could have covered your sales tax OOP and made this a true FREEBIE.

I'm sorry I didn't figure this way out sooner in the week so I could have alerted everyone.
UGH!

Sluggy-the slow one

Sunday Shoptastic Sunday! Part Two

So after a quick trip to Rite-Aid, 2 stops at CVS, we finally made it to the Acme Grocery Store.

It's a Unilever & General Mills Catalina deal that the SuperValu chains are holding that drew me to Philly. At Acme the deal is manifesting itself as a Buy $30 of participating products in 1 transaction and get $15 in OYNO Catalinas. The $15 prints out as 3 $5 Cats.
Now the $30 value is based on the regular shelf price AND alot of the participating items are on Sale! That along with using Coupons makes it easy to get to $30 and stay closer to $15 if you even go OVER $15! And some items you can work out scenarios that don't involve coupons and you end up spending under $15 out of pocket and get $15 of Cats back so it's like getting the products for free!
For example.....the Betty Crocker cake mixes(which qualify for this deal)are reg. price of $2.59 at this particular Acme store. 12 Boxes cost $31.08 reg. retail which is over the $30 mark. 12 boxes on sale for $1 each would cost you $12 out of pocket. Pay that and you get $15 in Catalinas. Buy another 12 boxes plus something that costs $3, for a total of $15 and pay with that $15 in Cats you just received. When you pay you get ANOTHER $15 in Cats.
You could just keep going through the checkout until you cleared the shelf of BC cake mixes and only be out your initial $12 for infinite boxes of mix!lol
Now, don't you DARE go clear the shelves of cake mix though. It would be very bad Couponing Etiquette & you would get lots of stares and probably be put on the managments "Don't let this person in the store" List. Plus WHERE on earth would you put that much cake mix??LOL

Some of the Unilever products also qualify for both this B30G15 Deal and another Catalina Deal-Buy 10/Get 3, Buy 20/Get 7 or Buy 30/Get 12. So if you were to buy $30 shelf priced worth of Unilever goods that qualified for both offers you would receive a total of $27 worth of Catalinas on this one purchase.($15 for the main Cat deal and $12 for this Cat deal).

There is also a $1 Cat printing when you buy Skippy Natural Peanut Butter in multiples of 2 jars. Skippy is also part of the Unilever/General Mills Cat Deal. So if you were to buy 10 jars of Natural type PButter plus a cheap item that also qualifies for this Deal to get to $30 of reg. shelf value(like a cake mix for $1), you would end up spending WITHOUT COUPONS, $21 out of pocket and get back $15(3x $5) in Catalinas as well as 5 $1 Cats from Skippy, for a total of $20 worth of Cats. Basically, without using coupons even you could 'buy' 10 jars of PButter and a Cake Mix for $1. Now if you had Skippy coupons(use 5 $1/2 ones), you would pay $16 OOP and get $20 in Cats back, making the PButter & Cake Mix MORE than free!

So now do you see why I had to hotfoot it down to Philly on Sunday?lolol

Since Hubby was with me, I couldn't do lots of single transactions.....this would have made my OOP MUCH lower on that 1st trip through the register, since I would have shelled out less the 1st time and then rolled single transactions one after another after that. I had to resort to doing 3 $30 groupings($90 in product)in one transaction. I picked up some things that weren't part of the Uni/GM Cat Deal too.
Here goes.....
First the items that qualified for the Cats in green.
10 Skippy Naturals Peanut Butter($2.99) @$2.00=$20.00
5 All Detergents($6.49) @ $3.50=$17.50
3 Dove Shampoo($7.89) @ $5.00=$15.00
2 Q-Tips (300 count)($3.49) @ $2.50=$5.00
Uni/GM shelf price total=$93.00(Double dip items total $30.65)
Sale price total=$57.50

Coupons Used
5 Skippy Naturals Peanut Butter $1/2=$5.00
5 All Detergents $1/1=$5.00
3 Dove Shampoo $1/1=$3.00
2 Q-Tips $.30/1 doubled to $.60=$1.20
Total=$14.20

$57.50-$14.20=$43.30 + $2.25tax=$45.55 OOP.
I received a total of $62 in Catalinas-3x $5 for each $30 grouping, 1x $12 because 1 of the $30 purchases was for items that qualified for 2 Cat deals & 5x $1 Cats for buying the Skippy Naturals.
Spend $45.55, Get $62. That's my idea of shopping!lolol

I also bought....
2 Lay's Chips on sale for $1.88 ea.=$3.76
2 Milkbones @ $4.29 ea.=$8.58
10 Pop-Tarts on sale for $1 ea.(you had to buy in groups of 5)=$10.00
Subtotal...$22.34

Additional Coupons Used
1 BOGO Q on the Milkbones=$4.29
5x $1/2 Pop-Tarts Q=$5.00
Total $9.29
$22.34-$9.29=$13.05+$.21tax=$13.26OOP on non-Cat Deal items

Grand Total of $58.81 for the Transaction.
And $62 of Catalinas.
8-))

So I had time to go back in for one more round of 3 groupings.

First the items that qualified for the Cats in green.
1 Betty Crocker Warm Delights($2.79)on sale $1.66 **
1 Chex Mix($3.29) on sale $1.66
2 Bugles Snacks($3.29) on sale $1.67=$3.34
2 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix($2.39) on sale $1.67=$3.34
1 Cinnamon Toast Crunch($4.39) on sale $2.00
1 Kix Cereal($3.99) on sale $2.00
1 Honey Kix($4.39) on sale $2.00
2 Honey Nut Cheerios($3.99) on sale $2.00=$4.00
8 Betty Crocker Cake Mix($2.59) on sale $1.00=$8.00
4 Betty Crocker Brownie Mix($2.99) on sale $2.00=$8.00
5 Betty Crocker Frosting($2.19) on sale $1.50=$7.50
3 Hamburger/Chicken Helper($2.99) on sale $1.50=$4.50
2 Macaroni Grill Meal Kit($5.19) on sale $3.99=$7.98
Uni/GM shelf price total=$101.17
Sale price total=$57.11

Coupons Used
1 Betty Crocker Warm Delights $.50 doubled=$1.00 **
1 Chex Mix $.50/1 doubled=$1.00
2 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix $.40/1 doubled=$1.60
1 Cinnamon Toast Crunch $.75/1 doubled=$1.50
1 Kix Cereal $.75/1 doubled=$1.50
1 Honey Kix $.75/1 doubled=$1.50
2 Honey Nut Cheerios $.75/1 doubled=$3.00
3 Betty Crocker Cake Mix/Frosting Buy 2/Get $.50 doubled=$3.00
2 Betty Crocker Brownie Mix $.50/2 doubled=$2.00
1 Betty Crocker Frosting $.55/1 doubled=$1.10
1 Hamburger/Chicken Helper $1/3=$1.00
2 Macaroni Grill Meal Kit$1.10/1=$2.20
Total=$20.40

$57.11-$20.40=$36.71
I received a total of $45 Catalinas for these purchases.
Spend $36.71, get $45.

I also bought....
2 Lay's Chips($3.99) on sale for $1.88 ea.=$3.76
3 Hershey's Syrup($2.39) on sale @$2.00 ea.=$6.00
10 Pop-Tarts($2.49) on sale for $1 ea.(you had to buy in groups of 5)=$10.00
10 Nutri-Grain Bars($2.67) on sale for $1.67 ea.=$16.70
Subtotal...$36.46

Additional Coupons Used
1 Buy2/Get1Free Hershey's=$2.00
5 $1/2 Pop-Tarts Q=$5.00
5 $1/2 Nutri-Grain Bars Q=$5.00
Total $12.00
$36.46-$12.00=$24.46 on non-Cat Deal items

$36.71 for Cat Deals+$24.46 for other purchases=$61.17 Grand Total for the Transaction.
I used $61 of the $62 in Cats I received for my 1st Transaction and paid .17¢ OOP!
I received $45 more Cats for a total of $46 Cats after this 2nd Transaction to roll into more products.
**The Warm Delights did NOT ring up on sale for $1.66. I didn't notice until I got home, so I'll be getting a price adjustment when I go back to the store. My total should have been $1.13 lower($60.04), so technically I will get back 1 of my $1 Cats(and only pay .04¢OOP!). That leaves me with $47 Cats for next trip.

So far in the Saga, I have $234.36 worth of items & $47 in Cat Money to spend and I am Out of Pocket $58.85.

Sluggy

Sunday Shoptastic Sunday! Part One

I tell you dear readers, I am plum wore out! This past weekend was so full. Grab a chair and a cool drink because this is going to take a bit.lol

Hubby took Friday off from work. Call it a mental health day.lol Hubby took #2 son on an amusement park outing so I had an entire day to myself!....well, if you don't count the 3 dogs I had to watch.lol I stayed home and did some maintenance on the coupon binder, some playing on the computer and just plain enjoyed the Q-U-I-E-T!

Saturday we spent doing yard & garden work...not my idea of fun but it was long overdue.
And we awaited the arrival of the new Range, Take Two. They actually pulled the correct color/model at the Home Despot warehouse this time so I am again able to cook any recipe my heart desires. Rah!

Sunday......well, Sunday Hubby & I wanted to spend some time together without #2 glum son, so we jumped in the car and took off on a roadtrip down outside of Philly. My absolutely mostest favorite Chinese Restaurant is down there. They are the ONLY place left, that I know of, that makes my absolutely mostest favorite Soup. It's been almost a year since I had some & the weather was nice, so we went traveling down there to get some good eats.
Well, that's not the WHOLE truth. I did have an ulterior motive for going down toward Philly this weekend. I can sum it up in 4 little letters.....

A.
C.
M.
E.

Acme. Acme Grocery Store.
I heard tell of a really REALLY good Catalina Deal going on now at the SuperValu owned graoceries(you may know them as Albertson's or Shaw's in your region). We don't have one near Teeny Tiny Town but around Philly is lousy with Acmes, that regions brand name of SuperValu grocery stores.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Let me start at the beginning of Shoptastic Sunday.
I slept in. UGH. I had wanted to get an early start on Sunday but I needed the rest I guess.
While Hubby puttered around the house with stuff I jumped in the car and went up to Rite-Aid to do this week's FREE Deals.
Notice the shiny new Stove background behind the Rite-Aid stuff.....lol

RITE-AID
1 GE LightBulbs @ $2.00
1 Duck Tape @ $1.49
1 Garnier Shampoo @ $2.99
1 Crest Toothpaste @ $2.79
1 Natrol Priobiotic @ $8.99
1 Zantac 150 @ $4.99
2 Newspapers @ $1.50=$3.00 *Not pictured*
SubTotal $26.25
Tax $.33

COUPONS USED
Rite Aid $5/$25
Garnier $1/1
Crest $1/1
Zantac $1/1
Coupon Total $8.00

$26.58-$8=$18.58OOP

All except the Garnier are FULL PRICE REBATES(Garnier is $2 on $2.99). I'll be getting back $22.26 on the Single Check Rebate check.
AND after I submit for the Zantac MIR, that's another $5.00.
That makes a refund of $27.26 and I'm only out of pocket $18.58, making this an $8.68 Moneymaker!!

There is a $3 IP Coupon for the Natrol Probiotic also. If your Rite-Aid lets you use more than 1 IP Coupon(mine won't), you could use this coupon as well as the Rite-Aid $5/25 Coupon and make the deal an $11.68 Moneymaker!

On the way to Acme we passed a CVS. Naturally I had to run in there and do the Electrosal deal.lol

CVS Store #1
4 Electrasol Dishwasher Tabs @ $4.50=$18
1 Blink Tears @ $7.99
1 Soft Soap Body Wash @ $4.99
1 Notebook @ $.99
1 Glue Sticks @ $.99
2 CVS Pencils @ $1.99 RAINCHECK=$3.98
2 Papermate Pens @ $.99 RAINCHECK=$1.98
2 Newspapers @ $1.75=$3.50
Subtotal $42.42

Coupons Used
4 Elecrasol $2.50/1=$10.00
1 Blink Tears $4.00(let me use even though expired Saturday)
2 Rainchecks for Pencils & Pens
Total=$14.00

ECBs Used
$9,$5,$5,$4,$4,$1=$28.00

Subtotal $.42+$.02tax=$.44OOP

Received ECBs-$7.99(Blink),$4.00(Soft Soap),$4(Raincheck Pencils),$2(Raincheck Pens),$.99(Glue Sticks),$.99(Notebook)=$19.97
I didn't get the $10 for the Electrasol yet, since I need to buy 1 more box. This store only had 4 boxes left.
So I ran into the next CVS that we came to.....


CVS Store #2
1 Electrasol Box @ $4.50
2 Milkbone Treats @ $4.69=$9.38
2 Newspapers @ $1.75=$3.50
Subtotal $17.38

COUPONS USED
1 Electrasol $2.50/1=$2.50
1 BOGO Milkbones=$4.69
1 $2.50/2 Milkbones=$2.50
Coupon Total $9.69

ECBs Used
$5, $2=$7.00

$17.38-16.69=$.69+$.03tax=$.72OOP

Received ECBs-$10(Electrasol)

I used a total of $32 in ECBs & received $29.97, so I burned through a couple of ECBs buying 4 Newspapers & Milkbones. The Milkbones came out to $1.10 a box & the newspapers have all those coupons, so I'll recoup that and more eventually.

Oh, my August Freebie that printed on my receipt is for a free bottle of CVS Mouthwash.

Part two of Sunday's Shopping Escapade to follow later this evening.....

Sluggy

July BUDGET RESULTS-Food & Toiletries Spending

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for JULY 2009.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in July.
These Totals include Food, Toiletries/HBA, Pet Supplies, Cleaning Products & tax where applicable.We are a family of 5. No kids under 13.

CARONE'S
OOP $24.23
Qs/Ads $7.19
Value $31.42
Savings 23%

CVS
OOP $.86
Qs/Ads $54.89
Value $55.75
Savings 98.5%

FARM FRESH
OOP $26.48 **Just had to pick up some Smithfield Ham while in Virginia!
Qs/Ads $12.52
Value $39.00
Savings 32%

KMART
OOP $54.52
Qs/Ads $869.30
Value $923.82
Savings 94%

OLLIE'S
OOP $5.55
Ads $4.30
Value $9.85
Savings 44%

PRICE CHOPPER
OOP $57.11
Qs/Ads $139.67
Value $196.78
Savings 71%

RITE AID
OOP $86.95
Qs/Ads $356.06
Value $443.01
Savings 80.37% **This is before Single Check Rebate & Gift Cards earned.**

SHOP-RITE
OOP $23.34
Qs/Ads $131.45
Value $154.79
Savings 85%

TARGET
OOP $62.06
Qs/Ads $130.40
Value $192.46
Savings 68%

WALGREEN'S
OOP $24.01
Qs/Ads $126.56
Value $150.57
Savings 84%

WALMART
OOP $25.17
Qs/Ads $14.06
Value $39.23
Savings 36%

WEIS
OOP $130.41
Qs/Ads $530.45
Value $660.86
Savings 80%

TOTAL Out of Pocket.............................$520.69
TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings....$2376.85
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased.............$2897.54
TOTAL Savings % for JUNE......................82%

I've decided NOT to track CVS's ECBs & Walgreen's RRs. They will be included when used on purchases under "Coupons". Rebates will also show up in the Monthly Totals when spent, but I'll keep track of what rebates are received monthly.

REBATES RECV'D. IN JULY

Rite-Aid SCR........$54.18
Reynolds Foil........$2.99
Cheerios Check....$5.00
Dove Hair Repair Challenge...$4.69
Lysol......$3.00
Physician's Formula....$7.13
Subtotal........$76.99

FREE ITEMS
Kashi Bar Coupon
Starbucks Ice Cream Coupon
Soft Soap Body Wash Coupon
Candy Bar Coupon
Purex 3-In-1 Coupon

NO Gift Cards

TOTAL Value of Cash Rebates..$76.99

My best 3 Store Savings Totals were from Walgreens at 84%, KMart at 94% & CVS at 98.5%. If you figure the Rebate I am due back from Rite-Aid($85), then my Savings % there is 99.5%.
(I spent $86.95 OOP and will receive back an $85 Check and $50 in Gift Cards.)
This closes out the July spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month-
Well, I set out to keep the Grocery/HBA spending under $500 for July...something I haven't been able to do yet. I didn't quite make $500 but at only $20 over, this is my least food/toiletries spending for 2009!

And this amount was with very little fresh produce included from my garden! I figured keeping it to $500 for July but that amount was counting heavily on not having to buy much in the way of fresh produce. We just harvested the first of the squash and cukes a couple of days ago, so in July we only had fresh salad greens supplementing the menu. This makes that $520 spent an even better showing.

I know that some of you out there may spend way less than $500 a month on your Food/Toiletries Budget. I don't know how you do it(unless you are eating rice and beans all the time!lol). But for us, $500 is really low. ESPECIALLY if you consider that a year ago I use to grocery shop.....sit down for this revelation.....WITHOUT COUPONS!
Yes folks, I never even peeked inside the Newspaper inserts on Sunday. Just threw the coupons out when we were done reading the paper.

It wasn't always like that. I used to coupon years ago, when I was a young married woman & hubby and I were living off of a much smaller salary. As he started earning more and I brought in some extra money on my side hustles, and then the babies started coming in quick succession, I had no time or energy for saving money with coupons. Then the babies started growing and eating ALOT MORE!lol Soon that small food bill was double and triple and taking too big a bite out of the income.

Last year, I would just go to the store once a week and do a $150 shop. But that big shop would be supplemented with 2-3 little mini-shops during the week to pick up things I forgot during the big shopping trip. $20 here, $15 there....add on another $40-$80 a week to that $150 total=$200+ a week!
And for that $200+ we barely had enough to eat through to the next week. We certainly didn't have shelves of extras for an emergency situation like we do now.

And that was a year ago.....since then, the price of everything has increased at least 6%. So I'd need $222.60 in today's dollars to buy last year's same $200 worth of food. Extrapolate out that weekly amount to a month and I was keeping a food/toiletries Budget equivalent to $964.60 a month in 2008.

So it blows my mind that I can spend LESS now on the Food budget and we have so much MORE foodstuffs than before!

Even with keeping the budget down to $520 in July, I was still able to take advantage of a couple of INCREDIBLE SHOPPORTUNITIES that came my way.

This $520 for July included 11 Trips to KMart during the Double Coupons Week in early July, a couple of trips to Target for cereal/cookies for the Kellogg's Rebate & a trip to Price Chopper to stock up on sale/clearanced staples(rice & spaghetti sauce mostly), as well as all the smaller food shopping trips & a splurge on that expen$ive Smithfield Ham we picked up at the Farm Fresh down in Virginia.

As for the total I am shooting for with my Food/Toiletries Budget for August....I am torn. The stockpile is looking quite healthy except for a few types of items, so I have a small percentage of things to stock-up on.
I have a Shopping Campaign all set to launch on Sunday for a really really good Cat deal at a grocery chain down the road from here. And then there is the return of KMart's Double Coupons Week later in August. There shouldn't be much I need by then, so I'll still check it out but I'll try to limit myself to things that will be free with the doubled coupons. I usually do free and items under $1 during these KMart Sales, so free only will be cutting back for me.

So I'm going to keep the Food Budget for August at $500 again. The kids will have returned from their summer jobs this month and the #1 son will be leaving for college too. I anticipate some irregularities with the menu(eating out and extra meals)this month, plus some farmer's market spending(to preserve for winter) so we'll leave some wiggle room in the budget for whatever pops up in August.

Sluggy

FREE Olay Body Wash at PRICE CHOPPER

If you have a Price Chopper Grocery Store in your area(not the Midwest PC-the Northeast US PC), you can get the item pictured here for FREE!
Price Chopper currently has a 6.8 ounce size of OLAY Body Wash on special for $1.50(or 2 for $3, as it's worded in their current sales flyer). I found it on the shelf with the other body washes in the bar soap aisle at my local store. It doesn't appear to be an item they regularly carry, as there was no shelf tag for this size of Olay Body Wash. There was also no signage denoting that it was on special this week.

If you got the Sunday coupon insert for P&G a few weeks ago, there was a $2 off 1 Olay Body Wash or Shower Item Coupon. You can use that $2/1 coupon to get this Olay Body Wash for FREE. The coupon will automatically adjust down to the item price of $1.50....or at least it did at my store.

But hurry! The current sale ends Saturday and there is no way to know if this Olay item will continue at this $1.50 price past this sale period.

Sluggy