Rite-Aid Coupon Changes.....HEADS UP!

If you are a Rite-Aid shopper who utilizes all the various coupons, programs, rewards they offer, you NEED  to read this!

Rite-Aid has changed up the game.
Those AdPerks/Value Videos you watch to earn coupons?
About the Bonus $5 off $20 Purchase AdPerks Coupon.....don't bother printing that one more than once per month anymore.
Rite-Aid has changed that coupon.  Now it is linked to your Wellness Card and has a unique serial number on each one that can be tracked when it is used.
Once you use it, that's it.  You can't print multiples and use them. 1 of this coupon per account.  The registers are now programmed at Rite-Aid to give a message to the cashier that this coupon has been redeemed already if you try to use it more than once.

For now, all the other AdPerks/Value Video Coupons are NOT this way, with a trackable unique serial number.  In case you never noticed before these AdPerks/VV coupon serial numbers all end in the date of expiration.....ie--the ones that expire June 30th end in 63010, the ones that are set to expire July 24th end in 72410. 

Reports are that if you printed out your Bonus $5 off $20 coupon that expires 7/24/10 earlier this month there is NO unique serial number.  Rite-Aid made the change sometime during June so the early birds will be able to use all their prints.

While this sure throws a monkey wrench into all the die-hard Rite-Aid shoppers plans(not to mention the dread that blackened their hearts) this is NOT the end of the Rite-Aid Shopping World dear readers!

First off, if you have a Wellness card/account, your spouse or SO can also apply/get an account and set up their own AdPerks viewing account.  By doing this, you go from access to 1 Bonus $5 off $20 Purchase coupon to 2 per month.

The last couple of months, there have been 2 $5 off $X Purchase coupons available in the AdPerks program.  The Bonus $5 off $20 as well as a $5 off $25 when you watch the Wellness video.
So now you are up to 4 $5 off $X Purchase coupons.

Often Rite-Aid will release a $5 off $X Purchase coupon through REDPLUM &/or COUPONS dotcom.
You can print these coupons generally twice per computer, so that give you potential for 4 more $5 off $X coupons per month if you have access to 1 computer/printer set-up and both sites offer it in that month.
If you have multiple computers accessible to you, count on 2 more of this coupon per month when offered.

And though they haven't offered a PDF $5 off $X Purchase this year, Rite-Aid has in the past and there is always hope that they offer that again.

So while you will have to be more resourceful in the future finding these $5 off $X Purchase coupons, they are still a viable option.

Sluggy

How Much 'Poo Do You Do?

No, this is not just some random photo of 2 bottles of shampoo.  These are my now emptied bottles of shampoo.
Guess how long it took me to use up these 2  bottles?

I used both of these bottles up in 7 MONTHS.   I switch off every week using one and then the following week I use the other one.....then I--pardon the pun--rinse and repeat. hehe
So if it takes me 7 Months to finish both bottles, it would take me 3.5 months to finish one if I didn't alternate brands.
Got it?
Good.

My hair, though thin, is a bit longish.  4" below shoulder length so I have a bit of hair to wash.  I use an amount the size of a nickel when I 'poo.  I wash my hair 2-3 times per week....a little more in the summer if I am getting sweaty.  But in the winter months 2-3 times is sufficient.

So if I extrapolate this out, I go through less than 4 bottles(12-16 oz. each)of shampoo a year.  A 2 yr. supply(which is what I like to keep on hand)would be 8 bottles tops for me.
By combining coupons and sales, I can usually get high end 'poo for $1 or less per bottle especially at Rite-Aid, meaning at most, I spend $4 on 'poo per year tops.

Considering a regular retail price on 1 bottle of name brand shampoo can run you $4-$8, I have cut my spending on 'poo by 75% from what it use to run before I used coupons and bought on sale almost exclusively.

A tip on shampoo--change up your brand every couple of weeks!  Your hair gets 'use to' whatever you use and stuff accumulates on your hair shafts.  You need to strip this gunk off every now and again so using a different brand usually is enough to do that.  Each shampoo can have different surfactants, conditioners, scents so by changing brands, the new ingredients will wash away the old ones giving you cleaner feeling hair.  As you continue to use the same 'poo over and over the new ingredients are left behind on your hair shafts causing a new build up of the new 'poo ingredients.  This is what they market the 'clarifying' shampoos for...to wash off the build up from your old shampoo.  But be careful using clarifying 'poos all the time as they tend to be harsher on your hair.

How many bottle of 'poo do you go through a year and what is it costing you?

I tried going the Baking Soda/No 'Poo route.  It was difficult getting use to it at first.  With shampoo, your hair follicles are use to producing lots of oil, because you are stripping away the natural oils every time you 'poo.  The baking soda isn't stripping but your follicles continue to over produce oil so you will go through a stage in the first month or two where your hair gets greasier to the touch.  If you can tough this part out, once your follicles calm down, things get better.  But a lot of people can't get past this part and give it up since they don't feel clean.

While baking soda did work, for now I prefer a good lather on my head now and again.

Have you ever tracked how long a bottle of shampoo lasts you?  Let us know your thoughts on 'Poo, ok?

I'd love to mark and keep track of how long/how many bottles of shampoo #2 son goes through.  Of course, he has more hair and it's longer than mine....plus he is in that teenage showering/shampooing/grooming overkill stage of life.  Here he is about 6 months ago in what I refer to as the "sheep dog look".....the girls he knows are all jealous of his hair.lol

Sluggy

Do You Coffee?.....Go Enter this Giveaway!

My blogging buddy Precious who blogs over at Frugal Makes Cents is holding a Giveaway for a $10 Starbucks Gift Card.
Go on over and check it out HERE.
While you're there, check out some of her money saving tips...you'll be glad you did!

Sluggy

JUNE Food Stamp Challenge.....Day Twenty Six & Twenty Seven and MORE Food Expenses

This post is part of the June Food Stamp Challenge located over HERE.


Saturday DH & I polished off the rest of the Ham Macaroni & Cheese leftovers for dinner along with some frozen veggies. 
Costs....mac&cheese(free-leftovers), veggies $1.69.

Sunday we feasted!  I made cheese burgers and veggie kabobs to cook out on the grill.  I chopped some veggies and used the leftover pasta I cooked and didn't use in the mac & cheese to make pasta salad.

Cost of items not figured in yet......cheese $.75, condiments $.10, celery $.10=$.95.

Total 'spending' from the pantry for the last 2 days.....$2.64

As I mentioned before I have been keeping track of non-dinner foods eaten for the month.  I've compiled a list of everything we've used from the pantry.
Here it is....
1 box cold Cereal
2 dozen Eggs
2 packages Bacon
1 box Oatmeal
2 jars Peanut Butter
1 jar Jam
10 boxes Kraft mac/cheez
7 cans Soup
1 bag Rice
3 packages Noodles
3 cans Tuna
1 jar Mayo
1/2 jar Mustard
1 bottle Ketchup
2 packages Hot Dogs
2 bags Hot Dog Rolls
1lb. Kielbasa
1 2lb. bag Onions
1 5lb. bag Potatoes
3 loaves Bread
2 bottles Salad Dressing
1 bag Tortillas
2 lb. Chicken
2 lb. Fish
1 bag breaded Fish
1 bag shredded Cheese
3 lb. sliced Cheese
1.5 gallons Milk
2 lb. Bananas
1 container Sour Cream
10 containers Yogurt
1/2 bag Flour(5lb.)
1 bag Sugar(2lb.)
1/2 bottle Oil
1 large jar Applesauce
1 pouch Cookie Mix
1 12pack Coke
3 boxes of Capri Sun
4 envelopes Kool-Aid
1 bag of Coffee
1 box of large Tea Bags
Total of Pantry Spending....$88.03

June Food Stamp Challenge Update
Spent to Date....$299.93
June Food Budget Left....$73.77
Days of Challenge Left....03


Can I keep from going off the grocery spending deep-end for 3 more days?
Stay tuned.....


Sluggy

JUNE Food Stamp Challenge....Grocery Shopping on Saturday

 The post is part of the June Food Stamp Challenge located HERE.


Being a couponer, I don't shop like most people on the planet.  Being on this Food Stamp Challenge has cramped how & where I shop a bit but it hasn't been something I can't handle.  Of course, if some of the stores that have been off limits to me this month since they don't accept EBT where off limits in the long term, I might be singing a different tune!  I suspect, I'd adapt my shopping habits if I was forced to avoid these stores indefinitely but it just might push me to seek out other low price alternatives.  And in all probability, I'd be forced to spend MORE on my groceries than I do now.

That being said, this challenge did push me to seek out and try a new shopping venue on Saturday.  A local produce market opened up near my town about a year ago and seeking lower priced produce from a EBT friendly source got me in the door.
And I am so glad I went!

Here is what I picked up.....

1 x Cantaloupe $1.49
1 x Romaine Lettuce $.99
1 x Tomato  $.44 ($.69lb)
1 x Blueberries(pint) $1.49
3 x Lemons  $.99
1 x Cucumber  $.33
4 x Squash  $2.26 ($.69lb)
2 x Red Peppers  $.76 ($.99lb)
1 x Liverwurst  $2.93($2.99 lb)*Yes, they had a deli dept. too.
Total...$11.68

These prices are well below what the chain and regional grocery stores in the area charge for produce!
While none of the items were locally sourced(it's too early here for harvesting locally)I have hopes that come picking time some of the items will have been grown in this area. 

Then we hit the local independent grocery store in town....

6 x chopped Clams BOGO sale($1.69, so $.84 ea.)=$5.04
1 x Real Goodness lactose-free Milk on sale=$2.00
2 x Krunchers Potato Chips on sale $2.50=$5.00
1 x Taster's Choice instant Coffee=$1.00
1 x Marcal recycled Facial Tissue on sale=$1.11
1 x Whack Biscuits(store brand)=$1.69
1 x Cream Cheese(store brand) on sale=$.99
1 x 1lb. Carrots on sale=$.99
SubTotal...$17.82

Coupons Used
1 x $1/1 Real Goodness Milk ManuQ=$1.00
2 x $1/1 Krunchers Chips ManuQ=$2.00
1 x FREE ITEM Catalina Q Taster's Choice=$1.00
1 x FREE ITEM ManuQ Marcal Item(up to $1)=$1.00
Coupon Total....$5.00

$17.82-$5.00=$12.82 + $.07 tax=$12.89

Then I went to Weis Supermarket for 1 item....

2 x OM Lunchmeat on sale BOGO($4.99)=$4.99

I used a FREE ITEM(up to $3)Coupon from Kraft...
$4.99-$3.00=$1.99 total for 2 packages of turkey breast.

Why I bought what I bought.....

I plan on making Club Sandwiches for dinner one night(the lunchmeat, tomato), Clam Chowder another night(clams, milk and enough clams for another batch later this summer), some meat grilled out with veggie skewers(squashes, pepper), the romaine, cuke and carrots for salads, and the fruit, cream cheese & whack biscuits are for breakfasts this week.  The liverwurst is for Hubs lunches at work & he can take chips in a reusable container.  The lemons are for my home brewed iced tea of course! ;-)

Saturday's spending.....$26.56

June Food Stamp Challenge Update
Spent to Date....$209.26
June Food Budget Left....$164.44
Days of Challenge Left....05

Sluggy