What I Bought at Rite-Aid this Week.....2/28

I had been in my local store on Saturday & saw that they had marked down some varieties of Dove Shampoo to 50% off.
Egads....there were $1.50/1 ManuQs for that expiring on Sunday!  So you know I sat all day Saturday, praying nobody bought all the marked down 'Poos, so I could buy them on Sunday.lol

I also had a Holiday Gift of Savings $20 Certificate to spend and figured now was as good a time as any, so here is what I bought......

8 x Scott TP on sale BOGO $1.29=$5.16
4 x Sunsweet Prunes on sale $2=$8.00
3 x Dove Shampoo on clearance $2.49=$7.47
1 x Listerine PocketPacks on sale=$3.99
1 x Anti-Monkey Butt Powder on sale=$3.99
2 x Sure Men's Deodorant on sale BOGO=$3.29
2 x Carefree Pantiliners on sale $.99=$1.98
2 x Blistex Lip stuff on sale $.99=$1.98
2 x Luden's Cough Drops on sale $.99=$1.98
10 x Cadbury Creme Eggs on sale BOGO $.88=$4.40
SubTotal....$42.24

Coupons Used
1 x $5/$20 Purchase AdPerks Q=$5.00
2 x $1/2 Sunsweet Prunes ManuQ=$2.00
3 x $1.50/1 Dove Shampoo ManuQ=$4.50
1 x $1/1 Listerine PocketPacks ManuQ=$1.00
2 x $1.50/1 Sure Men's Deodorant ManuQ=$3.00
1 x $1/1 Carefree Pantiliners PeelieQ=$1.00
1 x $1/2 Blistex Lip ManuQ=$1.00
1 x $1/2 Luden's Cough Drops ManuQ=$1.00
2 x $.25/1 Luden's Drops GOL Q=$.50
5 x $.50/2 Cadbury Creme Eggs AdPerkQ=$2.50
Coupon Total....$21.50

$42.24-$21.50=$20.74-$20.00 GOS Certificate=$.74 OOP
SCRs qualified for....$3 Listerine, $3 Anti-Monkey Butt=$6.00

$.74-$6 SCRs=$5.26 Moneymaker!

Should haves.....
I should have used a $2 off any Skin Care item over $2.99 Wellness IPQ with the Anti-Monkey Butt Powder.  I would have had an additional $2 to spend or approx. $1.20 to spend and get closer to a $0 total at the register.

I also should have used a $1 off any Oral Care item over $1.99 Wellness IPQ with the Literine Pocket packs...but again, I didn't have one with me.

If you still need to pick these 2 items up this week and you can use the Wellness Qs, be sure and print one up to use when you go to Rite-Aid!
Don't be a bonehead like me....

OH!!!
If you are looking to do the SCR #24(Purchase $50 in select products for a $25 rebate) here's a bit of info.  Though it's not listed/pictured in the SCR Directory, the Luden's Cough Drops ARE part of this deal!
I went to input my purchase info. yesterday for this transaction and not only did the Carefree items show up as qualifying for SCR #24(which they are listed as qualified in the directory), but the Luden's also showed up!  If you are close to the minimum purchase &/or need cough drops, these are a cheap option.



Sluggy

Go Enter the Giveaway at Marilyn's Money....Ends March 5th

My friend Marilyn over at MARILYN'S MONEY is having a Giveaway.

Go check it out Here.

Hurry though....it ends at 8pm on March 5th!

Sluggy

$30K Savings Challenge FEBRUARY 2010 Totals....a Great Month!

I have posted my FEBRUARY End of Month 30K $AVING$ CHALLENGE Totals.
Check out the side bar to your right for the specific numbers.

I have to report that we finished up February in the Black.

The amount we ended the month of February with was.......$4,094.60

Income
Besides Hubby salary we had a hefty amount in Rebates and some rolled Coins under the Income Heading. Hubby also got a Bonus check from work...yay!
Not sure where the Bonus $ will end up but I'm putting it into the Savings Challenge for now. Without it, we are at $966.20 in savings for Feb.

Outgo
As for the expenses in February.....

The electric bill was $399.10, just a few dollars more than January's bill. Since Feb. is the most expensive month here for heating, I am good with that number.

 The credit card bill seemed also a bit high(over $1K) but was paid off(like every month)so no interest charges at least.  On second thought, the cc bill wasn't too bad, since hubby didn't make as many Cash Withdrawals this month.  He used the cc more for gas and such instead of cash.  When you combine the cash withdrawals and the cc charges this month against those charges combined in previous months, they average about the same per month.

We had some large out-of-the-ordinary expenses in Feb. 
The car insurance is due then, so that was almost $1300.
The other BIG expense was our part of #2 son's dental extractions, $475.00, after the insurance paid their part.

All other regular bills...Cable, Internet, Phone, etc. are the same each month. 

The Food Budget costs for February are in another post, which is located HERE.  Food/Toiletries spending in February was under the budgeted $250(due to the rebate money that came in last month)and our Savings percentage was a whopping 91.12%!

Looking Ahead to March....
The cc bill is on track to being under $500 this month, which is always good. ;-)
There are three non-monthly charges this month--the quarterly sewage bill(not very much), the County/Municipal Tax Bill and our State Tax Bill.
One tax bill is over $1K, one is under $100, so that's approx. $1200 in extra expenses for March.

YTD Standings....
We have a Year To Date Total of $4,850.25 in Savings.  To save $30K for the year, we need to put away $2,500 per month average.  We are almost on target after 2 months....Jan. was dismal but Feb. was great due to the bonus.  I'm looking to only put away $1400 in March due to the Tax bills since it's a high bill month.

So how was your February financially?  Leave a comment and share with us what you did with your money, both the good and not-so good.   Do you have any tricks or tips that help you to end your month before the money runs out?  Let us know!


Sluggy

February BUDGET RESULTS-Food & Toiletries Spending

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for FEBRUARY 2010.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in February.
These Totals include Food, Toiletries/HBA, Pet Supplies, Cleaning Products & tax where applicable.We are a family of 5(4 at home-all 5 home for 2/3 of this month & 3 dogs. No kids under 14.

BIG LOTS
OOP $41.02
Qs/Ads $34.42
Value $75.44
Savings 45.60%

BOYER'S(small local chain in next town)
OOP $11.38
Qs/Ads $6.43
Value $17.81
Savings 36.10%

CARONE'S(local Independent Grocery that doesn't take IP Qs)
OOP $11.13
Qs/Ads $7.82
Value $18.95
Savings   41.30%

CVS
OOP $0 ($1.57 put on Gift Card)
Qs/Ads $27.76
Value $29.33
Savings 100%

ENTENMANN'S OUTLET
OOP $6.00
Ads/Sales $11.64
Value $17.64
Savings  66%

GERRITY'S(local chain that takes IPQs)
OOP $11.78
Qs/Ads $11.76
Value $23.54
Savings 50%

PRICE CHOPPER Northeast
OOP $127.48
Qs/Ads $599.59
Value $727.07
Savings 82.46%

RITE AID
OOP $24.96 ($41.94 put on Gift Card/Prepaid Visa Card)
Qs/Ads $732.17
Value $799.07
Savings 96.88%

WALGREENS
OOP $30.93
Qs/Ads $155.74
Value $186.67
Savings  83.43%

WEIS (local chain Grocery store that doesn't take IP Qs in my town)
OOP $111.55
Qs/Ads $497.58
Value $609.13
Savings  81.70%

I've don't track CVS's ECBs & Walgreen's RRs. They will be included when used on purchases under "Coupons".   I'll keep track of what rebates are received monthly.  Rebate money/gift cards will be considered 'income' & will go into the Food/Toiletries budget, offsetting the Out of Pocket. Cash will go immediately into the Budget kitty, while Gift Cards will be calculated in when spent.

REBATE CHECKS RECV'D. IN FEBRUARY

Caregiver's Marketplace(for 2009)....$14.50
Ducolax.....$5.00
Kraft Jingle in Your Holidays x 2....$20.00
Naked Juice.......$10.00

Nature Valley Granola Bars....$2.50
NeilMed Sinus....$9.00
Olay Quench Rebate...$12.48
Olay $20 Rebate.....$20.00
Pinecone Research....$3.00
Rite-Aid SCR....$57.52

Subtotal........$154.00

FREE ITEMS

Free Oreos x 5!lol

Stacy's Chips

Pillsbury Orange Rolls Q

Barilla Pasta Q

Kraft Crackers

Kraft Pizza

Kraft Cookies

COUPONS

Jollytime Popcorn
PC Catalinas  $18
Weis Catalinas  $20

GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES

CVS/Biologie 'Poo  $9.99  Prepaid Visa

TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received..$163.99


My best 3 Store Savings Totals were from CVS at 100%, Rite-Aid at 96.88%, and WAGS at 83.43%.
The best Grocery Savings Total was Price Chopper at 83.43% saved.

TOTAL Out of Pocket...............................$376.23
TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$2128.42
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased.............$2504.65
TOTAL Savings of..........85%

TOTAL of CASH Rebates........................$154.00
TOTAL OOP After  Rebates....................$222.23
TOTAL Savings of..................................91.12%

This closes out the February spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month-
I think I did quite well this month, especially considering all the Catalina Deals I did!  The spending before rebates was $376.23 but with rebates added to the budget of $250, we had $404 to use, so we have $27.77 left to carry over into March's food/toiletries budget.
Leftover food budget money....wow!....what a concept!lol

What's ahead for March 2010.....

The February 2010 Food/Toiletries Budget is set at $277.77($250+$27.77 carryover from Feb.) cash out of pocket.  Any rebates received this month will offset this OOP spending.  I have $129.85 in Rebates outstanding, so anything that comes in this month gets thrown into the food budget kitty.
I have finally put away all the food I bought in Feb. at Price Chopper and Weis procured during their Catalina Deals and my stockpile does indeed runneth over now!
What I am hoping for March is this....that a good chunk of the Cash Rebates I am waiting on arrive this month.  Then by combining that rebate money and not food shopping much this month and eating what is here, I can keep the food spending to an amount equal to the rebates received and the leftover budget money from Feb.($27.77)and NOT touch the proper Food/Toiletries Budget amount of $250.

Wouldn't that just be awesome if I can pull it off?
I am going to try!  This week has been good so far as I've stayed out of the stores mostly....does Rite-Aid count?lolol
As long as some "stock-upportunity" doesn't present itself, I should be fine. ;-)

At any rate, whatever is leftover (if anything is leftover!)in the food budget for March, I'm going to throw it into the Savings Challenge money pot instead of carrying it over into April's food budget.
The Savings Challenge kitty needs anything I can throw at it!

How did you do in February with your Food Budget?  Leave a comment or link to your post and let us hear!  By sharing our struggles and efforts we can help each other stick to our budgets and learn to be better guardians of our resources.

Sluggy

The Giveaway Winner is......

Ok, just so SonyaAnn doesn't have a nervous breakdown...hehehe....I'm posting the winner of the Giveaway now.
I drew the winner at noon.
I numbered all the comments from the Giveaway posts and used Random.org to pick the winner.

And the Winner is comment #13, which is......










Marilyn from Marilyn's Money.

Congratulations to Marilyn and I'm sorry I can't have everyone win. 8-(

I want to thank each and everyone of you for entering and I hope the folks who found us here through the Giveaway will stick around awhile. ;-)

I have another smallish Giveaway(from Pillsbury and MyBlogSpark) coming up in the next day or two.

When that is done, I have a Humdinger of a Giveaway(sponsored by ME!)that all you Coupon Mavens and Maven Wannabees will want to enter so sit tight and don't go anywhere!lol

Plus I will be starting to fill up a new Box of Fun for the 2010 Boring Blog Box Giveaway #2.  I'm hoping to start being able to include liquids in the box now(shampoo, lotion, etc.), since the sub-zero weather will no longer be a concern.  Nothing worse than opening a box of winnings with a burst bottle of some liquid oozing all over everything, right?lol

Again, thanks for playing.
The fun just never ends here at "Don't Read This"!

Sluggy