Rebate Shopping on Monday

 I hit up Walmart on Monday and did some rebate shopping well before Beryl hit and reeked havoc here.

It wasn't a very large shop but it turned out well.

1 x Hemp Protein Powder $7.82
1 x Skyy Vodka $14.98
2 x Old Spice Gentlemen's Body Wash  $25.94
2 X Old Spice Total Body Deodorant $16.00
2 x U Kotex liners $6.96
6 x Cesar wet dog food $5.88
Total was $77.58

I used a free $25 Walmart gift card making this $52.58 OOP
I got back....

*$32.00 from Ibotta
*$3.00 from Swag Bucks
*$3.00 from Shopmium
*$13.04 from Shop Kicks
Total rebates came to $51.05 so I am $1.54 OOP after I get back all that.

The Kotex is headed to the Food Bank...maybe the Hemp Powder as I really don't make pancakes or baked goods anymore.  The dog food is for our puppies.  The Old Spice items will be sold locally.  The vodka is for making my own vanilla if I can remember where I put those Vanilla Bean Pods I have. ;-)

Sluggy

Frugal Friday....the June 28th Edition

There are a few Frugal wins over the past week.

*   I grabbed a few freebies at Walmart this week......

The pads and toothpaste are headed to the food bank.  The Winged Wellness gummies, the Mushroom gummies and "Wonder Gut" I am keeping and all had full price rebates on them(well not the Wonder Gut).  The Shepherd's Pie was an "The Insiders" offer I qualified for...cost $5.98 and I am suppose to get a $15 electronic debit card.

*  About those electronic debit cards--seems you can't combine them with another form of payment if the amount on the EDC doesn't cover what you are trying to purchase(at least not on Amazon or Walmart, etc. as I have tried).  So you need to track what you spend and find something that, after tax included hits or comes close to but not over the amount on the card.  The last time I had one of these EDCs it had $30 loaded on it and after buying 2 items I had $2.14 left on it.  I figured I wasn't going to have that card expire with $2.14 still on it(these debit cards have about 6 months of life).  I actually found something for $2.14 including sales tax to LA the other day so ordered it.  It's something I'll either give as a gift or put in a giveaway box in the Fall(too hot here to mail anything that might melt in this heat and humidity now).

*  Every PT session I grab a bottle of water from the fridge there.  So free 16 bottles of water total. 8-)

*  I went back to the Orthopedist for my shoulders.  Still having pain in the left one(PT and continuing to do exercises at home seems to have helped the right one)so I got a steroid injection in my left AC joint.  I am bruised and still sore where it was administered but hopefully this will give me some relieve(this and avoided doing certain actions with my left arm).  The AC joint is full up with arthritis inflammation, and it's right where my bra strap sits so going braless seems to help as well.  Good thing I don't go much of anywhere and can stay home and not wear one of those torturous devices. lol

*  I also did a little Kroger shopping on Tuesday.....

In preparation for being at my brother's house in VA, where I won't have a car and they eat a strange diet(due to medical issues), so I don't know what they will have I can consume, I bought 5 boxes of protein bars plus 3 single bars.  The Dave's Killer Bread bars were on sale(and had a coupon and a rebate, which made them free), the singles were part of the Mega Sale and the 2 Annie's boxes and 2 Fiber One boxes were on clearance(and both had rebates making them ultra cheap-$1.04 each for the Annie's and $1.77 each for the Fiber One).  The breakfast cereal and 3 toothpastes were for the food bank and the box of cookies were for Hubs(plus had a coupon and rebate making it $1.79).  The Knorr noodle cups were on sale and had Shop Kick offers making them .89¢ each, the Excedrin Head Care(no NSAID in it, just melatonin and other "herbs")was .49¢ after clearance sale + $3 digital Q and $3 Swag Bucks offer.  The double pack of Voltaren was 50% off on clearance and it's something we can use with my shoulder issues so I gladly spent $17.49 on that.  The Duke's soap & body wash was on clearance for $3.52 each and had $1.75 on each in Ibotta rebates and a matching $1.75 off each KCB(who knows if that will ever show up!)so were .02¢ if the KCB does magically appear. lol  I'll either sell or donate those toiletry items so they are not counted in my grocery tab.

We did spend on 2 packs of Klondike ice cream sandwiches on sale and with Ibotta rebates, a pack of clearance priced trout fillets for Hubs to make when I am gone(I don't care for trout)and an almost half priced with store coupon hunk of salmon.

Also picked up a 2 lb. of strawberries for $2.88(changed my location in the app to get the best coupon deal)and a 4 pack of Dannon yogurt cups on clearance which cost $1.39 after digital coupon.  These regularly go for almost $5 at Kroger!

Also bought were some bagged salads(3 on clearance and 1 on sale)and a cantaloupe, also on sale.  I also picked up a 12 pack of Cesar wet dog food for the little beasties, after coupon was $13.49(plus I got a $1 from Ibotta and I had tracking on Fetch so received another $6 for hitting a threshold there).

*  Remember that $10 gift card for 3rd place we won at Trivia last week?.....

Well we went back for trivia at the new location to us on Wednesday to spend this and not have to go back again.  We didn't try very hard at trivia and there were so many pop culture, video game and Netflix series questions(we don't pay for Netflix)we though for sure we'd not win, place or show(as we don't watch movies, don't have Netflix or other streaming services and don't "do" video games).  There were only 5 teams playing(all of which were much larger than the 2 of us).  One team left after the second round so it was 4 teams competing for 3 gift card prizes.  Even with our dismal showing we got 2nd place!  We played the 15 point bonus round(where you can lose your points if you are wrong)and we got it right, which means 2 other teams either didn't even do the Bonus round or got it wrong.  Even when we try to lose we win if there are so few teams competing.  We were laughing our heads off at the 2nd place win. lolz

*  After PT on Thursday I hit up Walmart for some freebies.........

I am keeping the dog foods only.  The 2 tubes of toothpaste and the swim diapers are going to the food bank.

All this cost me $45.67, well I DID use a free gift card so it actually "cost" me $20.67 OOP.

I received back $45.62 in rebates so it all "cost" me a nickel.  I had a $2/1 paper coupon for the swim diapers which I forgot so it could have been a $1.95 moneymaker.  oh well.

*  Way back on February 14th I texted AARP.  I was already incensed that I was required to join AARP in November of 2023 and hand over $12 to them in order to get a certain Medical Supplement Plan back in January when I became eligible for Medicare, but I realized in February that when you join you are suppose to get a free gift and I wanted that free gift!  So supposedly the agent in text had ordered my free gift of a tote bag on that date and it was shipping out in 3-4 weeks.  Fast forward to June 17th and nothing had arrived nor had I heard word one from AARP on this matter.  So I texted them again and used their quoted words from before on my gift shipping out in 3-4 weeks. This agent looked into the matter and that previous employee had never actually ORDERED the bag!!!  My, that's crackjack customer service for you, isn't it?!  So this new agent assured me the tote bag was ordered and would be on it's way.

Here is what I received this week........

A very small package.

Here's the "Tote Bag" along with 3 copies of a glossy generic thank you card.  Quality control much??

This "tote bag" is about the size of a lunch bag, not the size of what anyone would refer to as a tote bag.  I have tote bags of various kinds and this ain't one.  Maybe I can use it in the Summer when I buy frozen or refrigerated food at the grocery store to "tote" it home.  I think 1 pack of ground beef or a steak will fit into this.

*  I found money!  It wasn't a great week for found coins but at least I didn't get skunked.

On Monday I headed into Walmart to pick up a new Rx from the "real" Neurologist and got a few freebies too.  I found one penny tucked under the pharmacy counter and the other near a self-checkout register before leaving the store.  Go. me.

I also found another penny at a different Walmart in their parking lot on Thursday. rah.

Total Found last week.... .03¢ 

Grand Total Found this Year.......$5.14 & 5.30 Euros

That's all I got.   Next "FF" up will be in July.

Any frugal wins in your neck of the woods?  Let's hear all about them!

Sluggy     

 

Shopping Last Friday

I picked up some grocery deals late last week at Kroger and Walmart....from l to r

3 x Yoplait protein yogurts on clearance .59¢ ea.

1 x Brekki overnight oats $2.89, free after rebate

2 x Nature Made Vitamins BOGO $19.99, $1.99 for both after Ibotta, coupons and KCB

2 x Nature Made Zero Sugar gummies BOGO $18.99, $4.21 moneymaker for both after Ibotta, coupons, Shop Kick and KCB

2 x I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray .29¢ ea. after sale

1 x Dawn Power wash dish soap $2.29

1 x Gillette mach 3 razor .99¢,after coupons and sale

1 x Coke Zero 2 liter FREE after BC coupon

1 x Cretors popcorn snack $4.99 , .20¢ after rebate

1 x Wild Turkey Rye whisky $9.00 after Ibotta and Shop Kicks(comes out of Hubs WAM)

1 x Nature Valley Wafer snacks $4.32, Free after rebate

2 x Barilla Protein pasta $5.04, .04¢ after coupons and Swag Bucks

1 x Gatorade Water(really?)$1.98,  .98¢ after Ibotta

2 x Clorox toilet bowl cleaners $5.36, $2.36 for both after Swag Bucks

1 x 12 ct. box Beneful wet dog food clearance $7.00. $4.20 after Shop Kick

3x Purina One wet dog food cans $5.94, $2.94 after coupon, Swag Bucks, Ibotta

1 x Persil laundry pods $5.44, $1.44 after Shop Kick and Ibotta

4 x Sweet Tart Ropes $5.92, $2.08 moneymaker after Swag Bucks and Checkout 51s

The razor, the laundry pods and the candy are earmarked for the food bank.

I spent $62.53 on all the above.  Rebates earned were $69.91($27.75 Ibotta, $3.00 Checkout 51, $3.00 Shopmium, $6.02 Swag Bucks, $18.18 Shop Kicks, $13.97 Fetch, $4.32 Nature Valley Manu. Rebate, $2.89 Brekki Manu. Rebate and $4.75 Cretors Manu. Rebate)so a $7.38 Moneymaker for all.

Have you found any good deals on items you can use or donate?

Tell us about it.

Sluggy

Great Deals Lately at the Grocery Stores

 The end of Last week I picked up a few deals at Kroger .....

It was time again for free Rock Star Energy drinks.  Bought at Walmart for $1.88 each these were a .24¢ moneymaker.  The Mac & Roni mixes were $1 each and I got .50¢ back from Ibotta on each box. rah.  All this is bound for the food bank so not coming out of my food budget.

Then it was off to Kroger.....ugh......

The coffee drink was free after Ibotta and KCB(and I actually got the KCB!), The 5 boxes of Cheezit Snap'd were on sale for $2.50(when you bought at least 2)and I got $1 back on Ibotta for each and $1 back on KCB for each, making them .49¢ for each back.  We may keep a couple if Hubs wants them but otherwise they and the coffee drink are food bank bound.  We also picked up asparagus, min cukes, blueberries and strawberries on sale, some clearance produce(mushrooms, 2 Salad kits, a piece of Salmon and refrigerated Buitoni Ravioli)for us to eat.

The 4 Dove body washes, the Dove deodorant, the Crest toothpaste and the Scope mouthwash were all part of the "Spend $15/Get $5 Off Instantly Deal".  Total for all was $37.93 after Qs and the Spend $15/$5 Deal.  I got $28 back from Ibotta and $12 back from KCB(which I got!!), making this a $2.07 moneymaker.

I was suppose to get a $3 On Your Next Order Catalina and here it what came out of the Catalina machine....

Seems my Kroger doesn't bother to put ink in their Catalina machines at the checkout machines. 8-(  So I am awaiting an email response from the Catalina Corporation.  If I get this Q for the Cheez-it Snap'ds that would make them a small .55¢ moneymaker.

Moving on.......

After PT on Tuesday we hit up Kroger and I found 2 1lb. packs of meatballs marked down to $3.05(can't make meatballs for that price!), a pack of hamburgers for $3.36(20 oz.).  Hubs is on that low fiber diet this week so I picked up a bag of potatoes on sale(one of the few veggies he can eat)and I got myself a bag of sweet potatoes on sale.  I also picked up 2 salad kits for me and bananas for Hubs, as well as some "Nut Juice" for him to have in his cold breakfast cereal and it had an Ibotta rebate. ;-)

We found these clearance items too.....

2 large jars of Olives for $1.91 each, a bottle of Kinder Peach Bourbon Sauce for $2.49(I had a $1 digital coupon so $1.49 for that)and a large canister of Potato Starch(can use in the place of Corn Starch)for $2.92.

I picked up these two Chobani Creations on clearance and they had a .75¢ rebate on Ibotta so after that they cost me .43¢ total.  

Today I picked up a salad bowl on clearance and all this........

The only things we are keeping is the small wet dog food pack and the Wild Turkey bourbon(for Hubs).  All the feminine products, the 2 deodorants and the 4 candy packs are headed to the food bank.  All that was $92.90.  I used a free Shop Kick $25 gift card making it $67.90 OOP.

I earned rebates as follows--

*$34.50 Ibotta
*$8.00 Shopmium
*$3.00 Checkout 51
*16.52 Swag Bucks
*4.49 Aisle
*21.60 worth of Pts. on Shop Kick
That's $88.11 in rebates on $28.25 worth of items we are keeping. 
Nice.

Sluggy

Life Lately

Last Friday I attempted to go spend money at Dollar General as they were having one of there Clearance Events were all the discounted goods were 50% off of the discounted price.  I see all these folks on Youtube posting about all the wonderful things they get at DG for dirt cheap but unfortunately that doesn't happen in these parts.  The DGs I have here either have like one folding table of goods up front and the prices even at 50% off are nothing to write home about or, if a particular store(yes, I am calling out the DG #7733 Dixie Blanchard!)has good stuff, the employees hide it all in the back and they come in when they aren't on the clock and buy it all.  Last year during one of these Clearance Events I witnessed an employee buy TWO CARTS FULL of breakfast cereals and cookies that were marked down and then discounted and these carts came wheeling right out of a backroom or breakroom and were never on the sales floor.  This has turned me off of even going to DG anymore around here, unless I am getting a discounted gift card deal.

So on Sunday I had to go up to Walmart.  I parked in a handicapped spot, using my hangtag.

I came back out and some jackass had parked next to me, in another handicapped spot but look at how close they parked to me........

This big ass pickup truck was parked on the line and their front wheels were over their spot.  Let it be known that their parking spot had a crosshatching space on the driver's side as well so they could have parked further away from my little car.

As it was I could not open my driver's side door 12 inches and even with all my weight loss I couldn't have possible squeezed into my car. @$%$%&%$$#@$Q#W$#%Y

So I had to get into my tiny car on the front passenger's side then remove my shoe and get my ass into the driver's side seat and drag my right leg over the console and into the space where the pedals were located.  This took quite the effort and jacked my back up to boot(already having issues with a lower back muscle didn't help things).  My back muscle is still out of whack over this.

Here's the license plate of the truck belonging to this jackass.  Blog shaming should be a thing, right?

Someone may or may not have keyed their truck with the wording "Asshole".  I'm just saying.

Not that it would matter since this truck was already dented and ding and beat to shit.

I spent that evening laying in bed and taking a muscle relaxer and ice trying to get my back muscles to stop yelling at me.  I should have beat that truck with my cane until my cane disinegrated....it would have been worth the price of a new cane. lol

On Monday I had a dermatologist appointment in Mississippi.  We had a forecast of thunderstorms for Monday so Hubs didn't want me going that far by myself, plus when I got in mu car on Sunday to go to Walmart, my check engine light went on, so another reason he felt it best not to drive myself 3.5 hours away into another state(plus I can't drive his car due to my shortness.). Not having anyone to watch our dogs(since my lovely daughter can't be bother to watch them or even talk to us, and it's a 7 hour drive, not counting the time the actual appointment takes)we had to bring them along in the car.  I had to sit in the backseat with one of the dogs to keep her calm and that backseat was hell on my back, as Hub's car hit every danged pothole in two states.  Even with taking the medicine I had for my back issues it was not a fun 7 hour ride for said back.

The dogs are great travelers and there was a man-made lake and a greenbelt across from the dr. office so Hubs and puppies happily walked, sniffed and peed on stuff(well, Hubs didn't do anything but walk lol).

Luckily my Dermatologist after discussing a possible medicine change which we decided on not pursuing, she wants me back in 6 months instead of 3 months, as I told her traveling that far ever 3 months was a bit of a hardship for us and she agreed.  My HS is stable at the moment so there is that(good news)and still in remission.  She gave me this little bag of goodies..........

Not that these have anything to do with my medical condition but I guess she feels bad I drive so far to see her so I get a consolation prize of tubes of facial cleansers, etc. 

I saw this sign on the back of the door while waiting on her..........

The mole check sign below makes sense for a dr. practicing medical dermatology but the one above touting "Botox Days" coming up was kind of out of place in my mind.  They have a separate office downstairs that deals with the Cosmetic Dermatology issues(what I call the Vanity Dermatology)and would fit right in, in that office.  All I can think is the department at the University Hospital is is affiliated with makes her drum up business for the Cosmetic Derm office.

Tuesday was "another day", as Scarlett said in that movie, and I had my first PT appointment for my impinged shoulders in the afternoon.  My intake was last week and I was given and had been doing the 3 shoulder exercises the therapist had given me to do as homework.  I didn't do them on Monday(needless to say as I was in a car all day)but I did do them all the other days.

So I had the in person therapy session on Tuesday but it was scheduled for late afternoon and by the time we were done my shoulders and arms were tired as all get out.  I think all my other sessions are scheduled for morning which will be much better for me.

After PT we hit the crappy Kroger as it was the last day of the current sale and I wanted to pick up some items.  I got some great deals, clearance items that also were part of the Mega Sales Event, which I'll talk about on Friday.

Speaking of Kroger, is anyone else having issues with Kroger Cash Back being credited to their accounts??  I am having a devil of a time getting it to work.  It started in earnest back in March and my balance sat at $31.20 forever.  We went away and when we returned nothing had still been added even though I had bought items before we left that should have been added to that balance.  The problem with KCB is that as soon as you use an offer it disappears from your account and there is nowhere to see that it's pending(I have asked Corporate about that and no)so what you need to do to keep track of KCB you are missing is to keep a spreadsheet of some sort of the date you used the offer, what it was for and how much you are missing.  I did get an answer that KCB "should" credit in 7 days to your account.  So today will be the third time I call Corporate and complain about an offer that has not been credited to my KCB.  And this stuff adds up!  Today's missing KCB will make over $21 they have not credited to my account.  What a PITA!

Wednesday was a lay on sort of day.  Hubs is waiting for the dealer to come pick up his lawn tractor so they can tune it up(suppose to come today....but knowing how things work/don't work around here, I am spectical).  I called Kim and Sissie as I knew they were moving Sissie out and wanted to how A-if Sissie had killed Kim and buried her in the backyard and B-how it was all going as they have been out of communication with me since last Friday.

I went up to Walmart on Wednesday to get Hubs colonoscopy prep(oh, the good times just keep on coming-at least for him!lol)and pick up a freebie or two(more on that Friday).

Later on Wednesday I had a phone call from my wonderful NP, my first PCP down here.  Seems even though all the folks and state governing boards I wrote that complaint letter about the rural health clinic we were first attending with the horrible and lack of medical protocols didn't get me any satisfaction, it got some people investigating what was going on there and now the wheels of justice are rolling, albeit slowly.  Unfortunately this PCP who has since left that health clinic is being thrown under the bus and having to defend herself legally with the licensing board(because it's easier to blame someone who is no longer working there than to own up to shaky practices by the people in charge of the corporate entity)so I am keeping in touch with her in case we get drug into this morass or she needs us to testify in her defense.  What a mess!!!

Today I'll be babying my back still, maybe making a run to Kroger, except I like to go on Fridays for 4 x Fuel points but I have a PT at noon on Friday and it might wipe me out and the Kroger I prefer is on the other side of the river in the next town over from where PT is.  I just have to decide what to do.  I don't have much on my shopping list so might wait until Friday plus Hubs will be with me Friday so he can help me get stuff on high shelves(which hurts my shoulders when I try to do that).

We'll have some hot(in the mid to high 80's)days but it's been uncharacteristically not humid here so we've had some days without a/c and open car windows when we are out.

I noticed a tiny bird's next perched on the steel beam on our car port when we returned from our cruise.

And a week later I got a shot(albeit not great)of mama bird sitting on that tiny next.  No eggs have hatched yet but she's still up there.

A week after we got back from Europe I noticed that the cactus was blooming.

Evidently the wife of the couple who owned this place was originally from Texas and she brought a cactus here with her and planted it.

I don't think it bloomed last year but I could be wrong, as it is a ways out from the house and I wasn't very mobile last Spring/Summer with my knee and the "yard" is not a "yard" and full of dips and holes so I didn't notice it.

But it was in full bloom this Spring.......

Does anyone know what kind/variety of cactus this is?  I am clueless.  The only succulent I know is Jade plant.

I do need to trim back that bush of unknown origin back that is taking over the cactus's space too.

That's all I got today.  I am off to call Kroger(again). ugh  And then fill out medical record transfer forms(more on that another day).

What are y'all up to today?

Sluggy

Frugal Friday....the May 10th Edition

There are a few Frugal wins over the past week.

*  I did a shop at Kroger and bought this last Friday.....

The $9.99 Kellogg's cereals in back were on clearance for $2.49.  I had $2 Ibotta rebates so they cost .49¢ each.  The Keebler mini crackers were $2.49 or $2.29 after coupons and I am suppose to get back $6 total($2 per box)from KCB, making them .29¢ or .49¢(depending on variety).

I had a Best Customer Q making the Peanut Butter free and I had a Manufacturer Rebate making the Pop Chips free as well.

The Aleve was a clearance find for $6.37, which had a $3 Kroger digital Q and a $3 Ibotta rebate so .37¢ in the end.  The Bob Evans Veggies were $4.99 on sale with Q and I had $2 Ibotta rebates for each, so $2.99 OOP.

The yogurt remix things(Dannon)were$1.50 each and I had a .50¢ off one and a $2 off 4 digital Q so $3.50 for all. I had a Shopmium .50¢ Q for one and a TaDa .50¢ for another one too so $2.50 for all. I believe I had a KCB offer as well but it hasn't been applied to my account. 8-(  KCB has been a hassle for me.

Then I stopped in a different Kroger on Tuesday before the sale ended and bought this........

The 3 boxes of toothpaste were a total of .97¢ after digital Q($5/3)and 3 x $2 Ibotta rebates(headed for the food bank).  The Aleve was more clearance, $3.37 after digital Q and I had a $3 Ibotta rebate so .37¢ after all that.

The Move Free was also a clearance find at $9.80, had a $5 Ibotta rebate and a $5 KCB so it will end up being a .20¢ moneymaker....if the KCB ever works.

*  I hit up Walmart for this.....

3 x Tylenol Extra Strength travel size tubes for $1.88 each.  I got $2 back on Ibotta for each so a .36¢ moneymaker.

*  CVS rewarded me for going in last week by giving me $3 in ECBs expiring Sunday.

So I went there and bought this......

Two boxes of GM cereal on sale for $1.99 each.  I paid $.98 OOP and submitted to Ibotta and got $1.00, making this free cereal.  The Cocoa Puffs will go to the food bank and the Cheerios are staying here.

*  I noticed that none of my KCB offers I did have been applied to my account(since the beginning of April!)so I called to get clarification on a few things.

It's difficult to keep track of KCB since as soon as you use/apply an offer and purchase the item, the offer disappears from your available account and it doesn't show anywhere as pending.  Going forward I'll track what offers I use and when so I can contact CS if they don't show up after 1 week.

The person I spoke to put a courtesy $10 on my Kroger card  but I'll be darned if I won't be calling back on Friday(which will be a week since purchase)to get the $6 in KCB for those crackers bought last Friday. ;-)  

*  We have been using food here and eating leftovers.  No eating out so far this week.

*  I went to PT on Wednesday for my shoulders.  Because of my Medigap Supplement, PT there won't cost me any copays.  Therapist gave me some exercises to do at home and I am doing them. 8-)

*  I found money!  

Last Friday I went to Kroger and used a self-checkout register.

This was in the coin return.....

a Quarter!

Then on Sunday I went to Walmart to pick up Rxs and found this......

A penny while walking on the entrance aisle past the registers in the store.

Then also on Sunday while in CVS to use my free $3 in ECBs they gave me I found these.........

They have one self-checkout register right by the door and next to where they keep the shopping carts.  As I took a shopping cart, I looked down and saw three pennies on the carpeting next to the register.  People really don't like pennies around here I guess.  I was glad to bring them home. ;-)

Total Found last week.... .29¢ 

Grand Total Found this Year.......$4.41 & 5.30 Euros

That's all I got.  

Any frugal wins in your neck of the woods?  Let's hear all about them!

Sluggy     

Some Ibotta Rebating This Week

I did some Ibotta shopping the beginning of this week.  First I hit the Walmart nearest to us on Monday....

All this cost $65.80 OOP.  I got back $30.50(Ibotta), $9(Shopmium), $11.55(TaDa)and $4.50(Alexa) and $7.04 from Fetch making it $55.55 back so making this all cost $3.21.  The body wash and Japanese bbq sauce were the things that made this cost so much. 8-(

On Tuesday I was over in the city across the river and hit a bigger Walmart there....

Total OOP was $76.70.  The best find was that small space Febreeze item for .75¢ that had a $2.30 Ibotta rebate.  Plus the Ibotta Glitches(where 2 rebates attached)on the Old Spice and the Olay body washes was pretty nice. ;-)

I got back $43.60(Ibotta with weekly Bonus hit), $5.00(Shopmium), $4.05(TaDa), $3.00(Alexa-but it's screwed up and I have to contact them as it should be $13.00), $14.64 worth of points(Shop Kick) and $3.04 worth of Fetch pts., making this $3.37(will be $6.63 moneymaker once it gets straightened out).

Then I hit the Kroger next door and the Dollar Tree nearby.......

Not pictured is a Free 2 liter of Coke Zero I got with a Best Customer Digital Coupon from Kroger(eat your heart out Kim hehehe).  I basically went in to use some Best Customer Coupons.  I also got the shell pasta for .60¢ with a BCQ, the Airwick was BOGO w/BCQ($3.25 ea.), the Crackers were $2.24 ea., the Dental Picks were $1.65 ea., the Powerade was on sale(last day of sale)for .88¢ ea., the freezer bags on sale for $1.99 and the Cesar dog food pack was $13.59 on sale.  I also picked up a clearance spiral honey ham for .97¢ per lb.)(but that and the dental picks, freezer bags and pasta weren't Ibotta or other rebate app deals).  Total for the Ibotta rebating items was $22.47(most of the cost was the dog food

I got back $3, $1 ea. from Ibotta, Shopmium and TaDa so $19.47 after rebates applied.

Tucked on the back left side are two Rock Star Drinks I picked up at Dollar and a Quarter Tree for $2.50.  I got back $5 for those from Aisle so that helped bring the cost of the Kroger lot down to $16.97. 8-)

And it's all stuff we can use/need or I can donate to the food bank we found here that is so very grateful for anything I give them.

That's it from Chez Sluggy this week.  What's everyone else up to?

Sluggy

Some Ibotta Hauls & Winning At The Grocery Store Games

Going to the Grocery Store is not for the faint of heart anymore.  You have to keep a keen eye out so you don't get overcharged.

I may be a mild-mannered Senior Citizen but in my mind's eye I am something like the photo above. lol

These Ibotta rebate trips were done recently, in the past week.  Last Friday I got these items.....

$31.69 OOP.

I earned $22.25 from Ibotta(including the Weekend Bonus and .50¢ Bonus for Silk)and earned $2.75 in Kroger Cash Back so $6.69 spent.
The Gatorade tablets were on clearance for $3.06 each and had $2 rebates on Ibotta. $1.06 is a great price so this item and much cheaper than buying the bottles of Gatorade. The Almond milk was .59¢ after Ibotta, the Silk Bonus and KCB.  The 2 Good Yogurt Drinks were .89¢ each after Ibotta and KCB.  The Claritin was another clearance find-a $30.99 reg. priced box for $13.02.  I had a $4/1 Claritin digital coupon and got another $4 Ibotta rebate so that cost me $5.02. 8-)))

I also picked up these........

2 x Blue Buffalo Nudges dog treats at $12.99.  They were BOGO and there is a free up to $15 rebate offer from the manufacturer so FREE dog treats for the puppies when the rebate comes in.
Here's the rebate link....https://www.bluebags4wags.com/

Then on Sunday I picked up this stuff to finish my Weekend Bonus.....

This all cost me $43.56(plus 2 x Reese's Ice Cream Cone packs not pictured).  I got back $21.50 from Ibotta(16.50+ $5 Weekend Bonus), full manufacture's price of $3.28 for the drink mix from Social Nature, $2.80 worth of points on Fetch for the Fast Twitch Drink and the ice cream(unfortunately the Points for the Arm and Hammer laundry detergent disappeared from my account before I bought that but I still got $5 on Ibotta for it)and 1,265 Shop Kicks(for the Kotex and Kinder chocolate bar)worth $5.06 and $6 from Alexa(L'Oreal, Kotex and Fast Twitch).  The L'Oreal face moisturizer was a $1.58 moneymaker after Ibotta and Shopmium.  All totaled I spent $43.56 OOP and got back $38.64.  Most of that $4.92 spent in the end was on the laundry detergent($1 on the Made Good/$3.92 on the A&H product).  Not a bad outcome.
The pads and the Made Good granola snacks will be part of my next food bank donation.

Working on the MidWeek Bonus and got this at Kroger on Tuesday.........

$42.92 OOP  $19.50 earned from Ibotta, $2.55 earned on Fetch, $2 from Tada=$24.05 back making all this $18.87. *(My $2 off 1 Extra cereal digital coupon didn't attach so I chatted this morning with CS at Kroger and they credited my account $2 for that.)  

The best 'deal' here is the Alba brand sunscreen I found in the clearance aisle-marked down to $2.87 a tube and I had a $5 off 2 rebate, making them .74¢ combined.  Sweet!  Down here the sun is not your friend in the Summer or "Hell's Front Porch" as I refer to that season here.

I was 1 item away from earning a $5 Ibotta Bonus so since Hubs had to go to Walmart this morning and my L'Oreal face moisturizer rebate reset I had him pick this up........

$6.42 with a $5 Ibotta rebate and a $5 Midweek Bonus.  I thought I had another $3 digital coupon offer as well on one of my rebate apps but even without it, it's a deal.

There was also a glitch deal on the Kroger toilet paper this past week.  It was marked BOGO on the shelf and I had a digital store coupon making them $3.99 each after taking off $3.50 on up to 5 items.
Of course they just rang up $3.99 so I took a picture of the shelf tag and went to customer service for a price adjustment as two of my four packs should have been free.  The nonplussed woman tried to tell me the shelf tag was out of date but I enlarged the photo and showed her it was current, expiring that day.

Customer Service lady refunded $7.98 to my credit card making 4 packs of tp $7.98 total or $1.99+ each.  Nice.
Sometimes it takes work and alertness to win at the grocery store wars.  And trust me, you have to go in there in warrior mode. ;-)

Sluggy

 

Frugal Friday.....the February 9th Edition

There are a few Frugal wins this past week so here goes....

*  We had a visitor, again!

Mr./Mrs. Snowy Egret came back on 3 separate days this past week as "the river" still hasn't dried up.

We have dubbed him/her Evelyn(could be a boys' or girls' name)Egret.  Hubs saw him/her the third day as he was out in the yard but didn't get another photo of him/her.  Having something like this in your yard and being able to watch nature up close and personal is a frugal win in my book.

*  Hubs and I went to Applebee's on Wednesday and used two old gift cards to pay for lunch.  I got the All You Care To Eat Deal(with choices of Boneless Wings, Riblets and Crunchy Shrimp).  You could order/reorder any of the 3 entrées.  the meal came with Cole Slaw and French Fries.  I couldn't eat the bland Slaw as it had chopped up fresh Cilantro in it(soap gene victim here)and the FFs held no appeal to me though I ate a few while waiting for a new protein to be delivered to the table.  I had water to drink as I was tired of unsweetened iced tea and they only had Diet Pepsi.  So basically I had a protein loaded meal and water so that sufficed for my eating that day.
Hubs ordered a cheeseburger.  I ordered that once here and they incinerated the cow so I wasn't doing that again.  I have such bad luck at restaurants. lolz        

*  As for saving money last week at the grocery stores....

I did a small shop at Walmart on Monday.  These are the grocery/toiletry items I purchased that had rebates/coupons and were a good deal.  The travel size Irish Spring body washes were a $1.06 moneymaker after rebate,  the Gatsby chocolate bar was free after manufacturer's rebate, the KY item was a $1.53 moneymaker after rebate and digital coupon, the MegaRed was a $4.12 moneymaker after rebate and digital coupon, the Skinny Girl dressings were .38¢ each after rebate, the Bic razors were $2.47 after rebate and the Orowheat/Arnold's bread was $1.48 after Fetch Rewards.  I also hit my weekly bonus so got another $3 from Ibotta.

While I didn't do much at Walmart I hit a good protein clearance at Kroger this past week, plus got a freebie and cheap deals.....

This is just some of the haul from Kroger.  This Scott & Jon's seafood rice bowl dinner was marked down plus Shop Kick gave me 700 Kicks(almost $3)for buying it which made it less than $2 OOP.

Then we hit the protein jackpot.  Two marked down packages of Cod for $1.25 each.(marked down to $2.25 but were part of the Mega Sale I got another $1 off each one.)
A large bag of Pepperoni for $2.15(reduced and part of Mega Sale), a package of Lobster Cakes for $4.05, 2 boxes of  full sized StarKist Tuna pouches(each box contained 4 pouches)for $3.15 per box so .79¢ per pouch.
Not pictured are a reduced package of loose Italian sausage meat(which I combined with 2 reduced containers of sliced mushrooms at .89¢ each to make pasta sauce and served over penne pasta), a reduced pack pf 4 thin boneless pork chops and a large package of 6 reduced beef steaks.  Those have been used and/or repackaged into smaller meal portions.

A few other items on sale and that had Ibotta rebates--a bag of Siete potato chips(cooked in Avocado Oil), 4 canisters of Lay's Stax which after Mega Sale and $2 Shopmium Q were .49¢ per, a bottle of Kinder bbq sauce on Mega and Ibotta rebate made it $2.49, a free carton of 2% Milk after Ibotta rebate, 2 boxes of soft oat bars for .99¢ per box after Mega Sale and Ibotta rebate and a Tide pen for .99¢ after KCB and Ibotta rebates.

There were other items that were a good deal or I needed to stock Hubs on for breakfasts(cereal, English muffins, fresh berries, etc.)but these were the best deals.

Then we hit Aldi(my first time in this new one here)to scope it out and to buy mostly some specialty items(mostly cheeses which are cheaper here or only available here)and fresh produce which we were low on.  No photos but we spent $47.59 there.

*  While we were over near Aldi we hit Ollie's as I had a 15% your total purchase coupon to use.

Got a few food deals--2 containers of Cashews(one for snacking and one for cooking), 3 bottles of Marinade(Teriyaki and Lemon Pepper), a box of Grits, a box of Cheddar Biscuit mix, a jar of peanuts(for Hubs), 2 boxes of cereal(one for each of us)and 3x 2 packs of AirWick small spaces air fresheners.  Our master bath has a "potty closet" with no electrical outlets so instead of using my Air Wick Plug Ins I can set one of these on the window sill behind the toilet.  I also picked up a new zippered hoodie at a discount price, as I had to get rid of my 3 old ones as they are now huge on me....but that's not in the grocery budget. 8-)

*  I used a Zaxby's gift card when I was out shopping to get an Asian Zalad.  I also had recently signed up for their app/rewards program and was suppose to have a Reward of a Free Chicken Fingers Snack but it disappeared before the 2 weeks was up, so I contacted corporate and they put it back on my account.  Me thinks we'll be having Zaxby's chicken in the coming week. 8-))

*  I found Money!

I stopped in at Zaxby's for a "Zalad" on Tuesday(it was both my lunch and dinner).  I actually went into the store inside of the drive-thru.  As I stepped out of the car, I spied a penny in the parking lot(guess which one is that coin). 8-)

Inside the restaurant I found both a penny on the floor mat inside and a nickel tucked underneath the counter on the floor.

I found an abandoned cart in the parking lot at Aldi so got another quarter.

Hubs returned our cart and found another abandoned cart but he kept that quarter for himself.  It will be kept in his car to use at Aldi when we go there in that vehicle. ;-)

Total Found in last Week.... .32¢
Grand Total Found this Year.......$1.16

That's all I got.  

Any frugal wins in your neck of the woods?  Let's hear all about them!

Sluggy