Halfway Through the Month...So How's the Budget Doing?

We are officially halfway through September.....doesn't it seem like it's just flying??

I just went and added up my Food/Toiletries receipts for the month, as of Sept. 15th.  I've spent Out of Pocket a grand total of............

$122.50
 And that includes 2 receipts for WAGS for August that got forgotten in a bag.

If you recall, I gave myself a ridiculously low budget for Sept. of $250.
Plus, I am expecting almost $200 in Rebates before Sept. is over to count against what is spent OOP.
2 Weeks left to go and I'd say my Budget is in REAL GOOD shape!
Even if I succumb and go Full Out Deal Hounding grocery shopping I should be ok. ;-)

So, how are YOU doing with your Food Budget this month?

Sluggy

How to get a Desk Lamp for $1.97 & Other Shopping Deals Yesterday

So after reading about all the FREE DOG FOOD "I'm So Pretty I Fart Fairy Dust" has posted about, I got my rear end out of the house and went up to Target.

Target and I have some bad history together.  I'm not overly fond of the chain and my only local store hires cashiers and then doesn't train them well. 
I put all that aside(because of the visions of FREE DOG FOOD)and armed with my coupons and a copy of the coupon policy print-out I marched into Target yesterday morning.

Was happily picking products up, deposting them into my cart and putting the corresponding coupons into my pocket.
Palmolive Dish Soap @$1.49...check!
2 x Purell Sanitizer @$1.37....check!
Cinnabon Pastries @$2....check!
2 x Chef Michaels Dry Dog Food @$4.26....che.....hey!....WTH?
I had left an envie of coupons in the car, among them all the dog food coupons and the kashi coupons.
ARGH!
So, the dog food goes back on the shelf and I check out with my 4 other items.
 $6.23-$4 in coupons($1/1 for each item bought)=$2.23+.07¢ tax=$2.30OOP
Paid cash, forgetting to use my prepaid Visa from the Staples rebate-doh!- and out to the car for the rest of the coupons.

Back into the store--

more Palmolive Dish Soap @$1.49...check! ($1/1 Q)
more Purell Sanitizer @$1.37...check! ($1/1 Q x 2)
more Cinnabon Pastries  @$2...check! ($1/1 Q)
1 x Dawn Foam Dish Soap @$2.29...check! ($1.50/1 Q)
2 x Chef Michaels Can Food @.84....check! (Target BOGO Q + Manu. BOGO Q)
2 x Chef Michaels Dry Food @$4.26...check! (Target $1.50/1 Q + Manu. $3/1 Q x 2)
2 x Purina One Can Food @$1.29...check! (BOGO Q)
1 x Schick Quattro Cartridges @$8.99....check! (Target $4/1 Q + Manu. $4/1 Q)
2 x Kashi Baked Bars @$2.88...check! ($1.50/1 IP Q x 2)
3 x Kashi Honey Sunshine Cereal @$2.88....check! ($1.50/1 Mailer Q x 3)
SubTotal...$44.69
Coupons Used...$32.97
$44.69-$32.97=$11.72+.05¢tax=$11.77

Actual total on the receipt was $8.85 with tax.

***This is part of why I hate Target.  The way they figure things is squirrely.  You can never decipher the register receipt and I am convinced that they have things keyed in so that you always end up paying MORE than you are suppose to.  IE: Squirrely=the dog food...1 bag they took off $1 for the Target $1.50 Q and the other bad they took off $1.00. even though both coupons were for $1.50 off.  One of the Manu Q for $3 they listed under the item on the receipt, the other $3 Q was way down on the bottom of the receipt & under the item up top they marked off $4.26 for the bag for a Manu. Q right under the item, so it looks like I paid $6.02 for the 2 bags and they took off $10.26 on that sale.
HUH?  OK, so this example they undercharged me, but usually I end up paying more according to their computations.
Then the 2 small cans of dog food(which I had 2 BOGO Qs for-a target & a Manu stacked-so it should have been free), it looks like they charged me for 1 can.  Nothing adds up correctly no matter how you try to decipher it.***

Anyway, back to our story....
I hand the stack of coupons to the cashier & prepared myself for battle....
but he just scanned them all, not a word when there were a target & manufacture's Q stacked, not a look when something beeped and needed to be adjusted, nada.
Target says my total came to $8.85.  Not being a mathematician with a PhD, I don't argue the point, as it's lower than it should be.lol

I handed over my $5 Gift Card from the Quaker Granola Bars deal of a few weeks back and got a new $5 Gift Card for the Kashi items bought.
Then I slid my Staples preloaded Debit Card from a rebate on paper bought in July and paid my balance of $3.85.

Zero out of pocket and a $5 GC to use next time.
Plus the Palmolive Dish Soap has a Try Me Free Rebate so I'll get $1.49 of what I spent back & if SIL hasn't already, I can send for a TMF Rebate for her too for the 1st receipt.

Then it was to CVS to get a prescription transferred so I could get a $25 Gift Card for the CRT offer I got a few weeks back on my receipt.
Had to roll some ECBs expiring on 9/17 while I was there....

3 x Reach 2 pack toothbrushes @$3.99=$11.97
4 x Candy Corn @.50¢=$2.00
1 x Colgate Toothpaste @$2.99
1 x Cottonelle TP @$5.99
1 x Poise Pantiliners @$2.49
1 x Viologie Shampoo Sample @$1.49
SubTotal  $26.93

Coupons Used
3 x $2/1 Reach 2 pack toothbrushes=$6.00
1 x $1/1 Colgate Toothpaste=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Cottonelle TP=$1.00
1 x CRT FREE Q Poise Pantiliners=$2.49
1 x CRT FREE Q Viologie Shampoo Sample=$1.49
Total  $11.98

$26.93-$11.98=$14.95

ECBs Used
$10 for Survey
$2 for ?
$1.98 for Pencils
Total  $13.98

$14.95-$13.98=$.97+$.06 tax=1.03OOP put on old CVS Gift Card
Received $8ECBs, Used $13.98
Bleh. Lost $5.98 in ECBs buying TP & Candy Corn.  Fitting, no?lol


When I was walking from the back after paying for my prescription & getting my new $25 GC, I noticed some clearance items at the far end of the Halloween candy display.  The sign said 25% off and there was a gooseneck desk lamp sitting there.  As #2 son just moved into his brother's room, he now needs a desk lamp for the desk in there.  So I looked it over and couldn't find a price.  I hauled it upfront to the register and had the cashier price check it for me.  She said, "It's $3.74".
Huh??  You mean 3 DOLLARS and 74 CENTS...right?
"Yah, that's what I said."
"I'll take it!"
The lamp is not fancy but it looks sturdy and is just the thing he needs.
And for $3.97(with tax), you KNOW I'm all over that!!  8-))
Turns out, it's got one of those energy saving globe lightbulbs included and it's suppose to last for 9 Years. (And you'll realize an energy savings of $47 over that time according to the box.)
But what makes this desk lamp all the more sweet to me is the little sticker on the box.....

Yep, that's a MIR for $2.00.  My little lamp will end up costing me ZERO OOP & I'll get a $2 check for buying it.  I put the $3.97 on a Gift Card(.97¢ left on the old GC and $3 on the one I just got at the Pharmacy)& I'll get a check for $2 for the Rebate.

Then it was off to WAGS....

 

1 Murine Ear Care=$6.00

2 Big Roll TP@.50¢=$1.00
Subtotal  $7.00

Used $6 in RRs
$1.00OOP

Received a $6RR for the Murine

The reported Big Roll TP ringing up .50¢ BEFORE the In-Ad Q wasn't happening here.

 

Transaction #2

4 x Lindsay Olives @$2.00ea(when you buy 2)=$8.00
2 x Triaminic Nighttime Syrup @$5.00ea=$10.00
1 x Wags Cashews on sale $1.99
2 x GUM Tooth & Tongue pack @5.29=$10.58

SubTotal  $30.57

Coupons Used
4 x Wags AD Q Lindsay Olives@$.99ea.=$4.04
2 x Lindsay Olives $1/2=$2.00
2 x Triaminic Nighttime Syrup $1.50=$3.00
2 x Wags Booklet Triaminic Q@$2.00ea.=$4.00
2 x GUM Tooth & Tongue pack RAINCHECK-BOGO/RR Deal so Free=$10.58
Total  $23.62

$30.57-$23.62=$6.95

Used $6 Murine RR
$6.95-$6.00=$.95OOP

Received $10RR(2x$5)

So when the 2 $5RRs popped out I thought, Great!....the Nighttime Triaminic IS giving double RRs.

One was a Novartis generatedRR(the Triaminic)& the other was a Reckitt Benckiser RR.  Not sure what this means.

So I went back for some more Triaminic.
But they only had the Strips left in the Nighttime....

Transaction #3

2 x Triaminic NIghttime Strips @$5.00=$10.00

Coupons Used
2 x Triaminic Nighttime Syrup $1.50=$3.00
2 x Wags Booklet Triaminic Q@$2.00ea.=$4.00
Total  $7.00

$10-$7=$3.00OOP Put on Staples Prepaid Visa Debit Card

Received $5RR

Ok, so this time only 1 $5RR comes out.  Now I am really scratching my head!lol

The CAT machine made a little noise after the 1st RR appeared, a bad "I think I'll jam now & stop working" noise.  Now I had to figure out whether I needed to make a scene and have the machine looked at or just let it go.  As I'm not sure if the Triaminic was suppose to give 2 Cats from 2 different companies and I was so tired and had to pick up kids at school, I just let it go.

I know.....so NOT like me!lolol
So I'll have to settle for a $9 moneymaker instead of a $14 moneymaker on the Triaminic.

In the end, I 'spent' $21.10.

OOP cash spent was $4.25.  The rest was paid with assorted Gift Cards/Prepaid Visa.

I used $13.98 in ECBs/gained $8 for a total loss of $5.98ECBs.
I used $12 in RRs/gained $15 for a total gain of $$3RRs.
Will receive $3.49 in checks($1.49 & $2.00 for Palmolive & Lamp MIRs).
Got a new Target $5 Giftcard & have $22 left on my new CVS Giftcard as well.
And I got $161.62 worth of stuff.

Not a bad days work....

Sluggy

The Old Coupon Scramble & Rite-Aid Shopping Today

The Newspaper Insert gods have attempted to strike me down again!

You may have seen my post about my plan to get almost FREE Johnson & Johnson Baby Care Products at Rite-Aid this week HERE.

Well, my local newspapers(note, there are TWO! that monkeyed with my plan)had NO Johnson's coupons yesterday.
Zip.
Zilch.
Zero.

But even 2 major news publications can't keep Sluggy from accomplishing her mission!
I needed 10 coupons. I had 1 lone Peelie sitting on my desk.  As #2 son would say, "Sad Face."
So, I had to scramble around town for out-of-town papers. No Philly papers anywhere, at All!
I found the next best bet(the major city paper 1 hr. away)and yes, their coupon inserts had the coupon I needed. But I could only scare up 4 copies of that paper instead of buying my usual local papers.
Still 5 coupons short.
And I really didn't want to have to resort to eBay or a clipping service buy.

I went online to see if there were any IP Johnson's coupons I hadn't gotten my limit of or that had been reset. I finally found a couple of the multiple coupons(the $ off of 2 or 3 items ones)that I could print.

So with some hustling around, I got the tools needed for the job.
Geez, this shouldn't have to be so hard, yah think?

Let the Plundering Begin.....

 

They had the CankerMelts so I used the FREE ITEM Q and bought this...

7 x Assorted Johnson's Baby products on sale @$2.99=$20.93

1 x Canker Melts on sale @ $4.99=$4.99

Subtotal  $25.92

Coupons Used...

$5/$25 Rite-Aid purchase=$5.00

4 x $1/1 Peelies on Bottles=$4.00

1 x $3/3 IP Q=$3.00

1 x FREE ITEM Q for Canker Melts=$4.99

Coupon Total  $16.99

$25.92-$16.99=$8.93+ tax $1.02=$9.95 OOP
This was put on a Rite-Aid Gift Card earned from one of last month's SCR offers, so ZERO OOP.

I plan on buying 3 more Johnson's Baby products this week and submitting for Offer #43 to receive a $10 rebate.
The good news was that I found some bottles of Johnson's products with $1 off Peelies on them, so I didn't have to sweat having enough coupons after all!  Plus I found some bottles of the Baby Shampoo with bonus Baby Wash samples on them....bonus score!

In case your area didn't get the $1/1 Johnson's products coupon either, here are some bricks links to print the coupons online....

$1/1 Bubble Bath & Wash

$1/1 Baby Lotion

$1/1 Baby Shampoo

$2/2 Desitin or Johnson's Baby products

$3/3 Johnson's Baby products

$1/1 Baby Powder

$1/1 Head to Toe Wash

These links should work if you are running IE. If you are browsing in Firefox like me, you'll probably have to change the "wi" in the url to "wg" to get the links to work properly for you. You know what I mean.....when you click on the link and it just goes into 'PLEASE WAIT Hell' for hours and prints nothing.

Enjoy!

Sluggy

Meal Plan Monday.....September 14th Edition Bread & Eating from the Stockpile Week

Last Week's Menu Post Mortum......

We had a spontaneous 'going out to eat' night last week the day the roofers were here.  They worked until dark and I just couldn't take another minute in this house with the noise AND cook dinner so we went out.  And we did leftovers another night, so the Fried Fish & the Italian Chicken didn't happen and will be moved to this week's menu.
I was happy that I could use up some meat odds n' ends on Sunday in the Chili. I had a small London Broil, a small chunk of ground turkey and ground beef.  None of which was big enough to make a full meal.  It was perfect to whip up some Chili.  I have some veggies in the freezer that aren't enough for enough servings for a meal, so once the weather gets a bit chillier, I'll be throwing those into a big pot of soup or stew to use them up.

I found some ears of local corn I had frozen last fall on Saturday.  Since we have fresh local corn now and I need to use these up, I'll be making Corn Chowder with the frozen ears this week.

This week I am still trying to move out some older frozen foods and stockpile boxed canned items.  But as of yesterday I have some new things to use up too.
Yes, I took son out yesterday and I found that those Evil people at ENTENMENN'S opened a Discount Bakery Outlet near my house, unbeknownst to me.

So I had to go in and scope it out.
And then I had to go and buy a bunch of day old rolls and treats.
So now I have hamburger rolls, steak rolls, english muffins & dinner rolls that need to be used before they expire.  I'll be working these bread products into my menu for this week.


Here's what I will be serving our family of 4 this Week...

MONDAY--Lasagna(leftover), Salad Greens(garden-still!), Garlic Bread(pantry)
TUESDAY--Kielbasa on Steak Rolls, Onions, fresh Corn on cob
WEDNESDAY--Burritos(freezer) w/leftover Chili with Cheese, Squash Casserole(garden/freezer)
THURSDAY--Marinated Italian Chicken(freezer/marinade in stockpile), Rice(stockpile), Veggie Melange(freezer)
FRIDAY--Fried Fish(freezer), French Fries(pantry), Green Beans(freezer)
SATURDAY--Turkey Sloppy Joe's on Rolls(freezer/stockpile/pantry), Squash Casserole(leftover from Wed.)
SUNDAY--Corn Chowder(freezer), Grilled Cheese or Leftovers
Dessert--Zucchini Bread, Seasonal Fresh Fruit


Last week I spent $62.37 on food & pet food.  Most of that was for lunch meats(that should last 2 weeks), a lot of milk, rye bread and fresh fruits....oh, and the Entenmenn's outlet bread products.  There was a little bit of stocking up on cranberry sauce.

This week's shopping list is light again....1 package of Kielbasa, fresh local corn on the cob and more fresh fruit.  I am sure I'll need milk this week too.  I'm figuring about $15 should cover it.  I'll have plenty of money leftover this week for stocking up if I find something we can use, that's on a great sale.

Food Waste Report....nothing thrown out last week. 8-))
There is some leftover BBQ Chicken legs that need eating and the dogs can't have that(because of the sauce).  I'll probably pick the meat off the bones and make myself a BBQ Chicken sandwich for lunch this week to use it up.

We did have to throw out some juice yesterday.  It was some new product I had bought on sale with a coupon this summer to try it.  It's called VitaminSense.  It was soooo NASTY!!!  It made me physically gag when I tried it and neither of the kids will drink it.
Just yuck.
I don't feel bad in the least for pouring it down the drainer.....well, I felt worse for wasting that $1.00 I spent on it.lol

Check out Organizing Junkie's Website Here to see what other Home Cooks are serving this week!

Sluggy

FREE STUFF next week at Rite-Aid 9/13-9/19

Here is what I am buying at Rite-Aid this upcoming week, September 13-19.

*  The Suave Lotion/Shampoo/Body Wash is on sale for $1.99.
Use a $1/1 Suave Lotion Coupon when you pay.  This coupon was from the 8/2 Red Plum Insert.
Pay .99¢.
Submit for the Single Check Rebate of $1.00 for the Lotion.
That makes the bottle of Lotion more than FREE!

* If you haven't used or printed your limit of $1/1 AJAX DISHWASHING LIQUID Coupons at Coupons.com yet, you can use them next week at Rite-Aid.  Ajax will be on sale for .99¢ a bottle so be sure and pick up your Free Ajax.  I won't be buying this because I used my printables already at KMart last week, but if I had the coupons, I'd buy it. 8-))

* Next week Johnson's Baby Care products are on sale $2.99 each.
Check out the scan of the ad below, in the upper right hand corner.
There will be a $1/1 Coupon this Sunday for Johnson's Baby products in the coupons inserts.
When you buy 10 Johnson's Baby products, you can submit for a $15 Rebate as part of the Rite-Aid Single Check Rebate program.

Here is the scenario I'm going to do.

First I'll print off the $5 off $25 Rite-Aid coupon available at Coupons.com.
Then I'll clip 10 Johnson's coupons from the inserts, or supplement my insert coupon supply with IP Johnson's coupons from various places online.
I'll also bring my $1/1 Suave Lotion coupon.

Buy...
1 Suave Lotion @$1.99
10 Johnson's Baby Care Products @$2.99
Subtotal  $31.89

Hand over the $5/$25 Coupon (-$5.00)
Subtotal  $26.89

Hand over 1 Suave $1/1 & 10 Johnson's $1/1 Coupons (-$11.00)
Subtotal  $15.89
Pay a total of  $16.84(including tax)

Submit for SCR #43 ($15.00) & #64($1.00).


In addition, this purchase will earn you a $5 Gift Certificate valid at Rite-Aid, as part of The Rite Aid Gift of Savings Program.  Rite-Aid had this deal last year too, but later in the year.  Purchases made between 9/13(this Sunday) and 10/17 can earn you up to $20 in Rite Aid gift cards.

• Spend between $25 and $50 and receive a $5.00 Gift of Savings Certificate

• Spend between $50.01 and $100 and receive a $10.00 Gift of Savings Certificate

• Spend $100.01 or more and receive a $20.00 Gift of Savings Certificate 
  

So your Out of Pocket cost ends up being .84¢ AND you qualify for a $5 Rite-Aid Gift Card.
And you are only $18.12 away from qualifying for another $5 in Rite-Aid Gift Card in the Gift of Savings Program.  Be sure and get your purchases to $25 and use another $5/$25 Rite-Aid coupon too, to bring down your total OOP paid.

Like I've said before, you don't need to have a baby to use these Baby Care products.  The shampoo & 'baby' wash are gentle cleaning products for people with sensitive skin & scalps.  And the baby wash & lotions smell wonderful!

What are you planning on getting next week?

Sluggy