January SCR Period has Begun.....Here are my Shops!

Crazy Coupon Lady me went out in a snowstorm Sunday evening for newspapers(coupon inserts).
Here's what I also bought since I was there anyway.lol

2 x Pantene 'Poo on sale $3.50=$7.00
2 x Gillette Clinical Deo' on sale $7.99=$15.98
2 x Tugaboo Diaper packs w/20% wellness discount=$1.58
1 x Newspaper=$.99 *Not Pictured*
SubTotal....$25.55

Coupons Used
1 x $5 off $25=$5.00
1 x BOGO Pantene ManuQ(last P&;G insert)=$3.50
1 x $3/2 Pantene ManuQ(current P&G insert)=$3.00
2 x $3/1 Gillette Clinical Deo ManuQ(current P&G insert)=$6.00
2 x $3/1 Gillette Clinical Deo Flu BookletQ=$6.00
2 x $1/1 Tugaboos Q inside previous package=$2.00
Coupon Total....$25.50

$25.55-$25.50=$.05 OOP put on Rite-Aid gift card, making ZERO out of pocket.
I used $0 +Ups and received $7 +Ups(2 x $3 Gillette, $1 wyb 2 Pantene).

Analysis....
Needed the newspaper for coupons, natch!
Color treated hair 'Poo for me cost .25¢ a bottle after Qs(but before the $3+Ups WYB 2).
The Clinical Deo' was on sale for $7.99, after stacked Qs($3 ManuQ+$3 Flu BookletQ)and $3+Ups was a $1.01 moneymaker.
The diapers were a filler to get over $25 and will be donated to my local food bank.  I bundle these 2 packs up into 20 diapers per bag and take them over.  Personal hygiene and paper goods are very welcomed at our food bank.

And here are the 3 transactions I did on Tuesday....

#1
2 x Herbal Essence 'Poo on sale $2.50=$5.00
1 x Gillette Clinical Deo' on sale=$7.99
2 x Darice Craft Kits w/20% wellness disc. $1.83=$3.66
6 x Assorted Harvard Square school supplies w/20% wellness disc. $.79=$4.74
2 x Harvard Square Pencil Top Erasers w/20% wellness disc. $1.19=$2.38
1 x 3 pack of YooHoo w/20% wellness disc.=$.79 *Not Pictured*
1 x Xmas Clearance candy item=$.50 *Not Pictured*
SubTotal....$25.06

Coupons Used
1 x $5 off $25 Q=$5.00
1 x $1/1 Herbal Essence ManuQ(last P&G insert)=$1.00
1 x BOGO Herbal Essence ManuQ(current P&G insert)=$2.50
1 x $3/1 Gillette Clinical ManuQ(current P&G insert)=$3.00
1 x $3/1 Gillette Clinical Flu BookletQ=$3.00
Coupon Total....$14.50

$25.06-$14.50=$10.56
I used $10+Up Rewards and put the .56¢ on my free Rite-Aid gift card.
I received $16 in +Ups($3 Gillette, 4 x $2 school supplies wyb2, $5 Darice wyb2), making this a $6 moneymaker.

Analysis....
More 'Poo that after sale and Qs(stack BOGO in recent P&G with $1/1 Q in last P&G)costs you $.75 each bottle.
Clinical Deo', ditto moneymaker, same as last trip.  The foamie crafts are $1.83 w/20% wellness discount and give a $5 +Up wyb 2, so these were a $1.34 moneymaker after +Ups.  If you have the Dec. AdPerks/VV Q for the $5/2 Foamies you could explore other combinations with higher priced craft items.
These Harvard Square school supplies are giving a $2 +Ups wyb 2.  All but the pencil top erasers were $.99(or $.79 after 20% wellness discount), so were a $.42 moneymaker with the +Up for each pair.  The pencil tops were $1.49(or $1.19 ea. w/20% wellness discount)so every 2 packages cost me $.38 after +Up.

 #2
1 x Olay Lotion=$7.49(part of BOGO50% sale)
1 x Olay Body Wash=$3.75(part of BOGO50% sale)
2 x Gillette Deodorant on sale $3.99=$7.98 *20% wellness was 1¢ cheaper than sale price*
6 x Assorted Harv.Sq. school supplies w/20% wellness disc. $.79=$4.74
1 x Andes Xmas Mints 50% off clearance=$.99
1 x Sierra Mist single bottle on sale=$.99 *Not Pictured*
SubTotal...$25.94

Coupons Used
1 x $5 off $25 Q=$5.00
1 x BOGO Olay Lotion/Body Wash ManuQ(last P&G insert)=$7.49**
1 x $2/1 Olay Body Wash Flu BookletQ=$2.00
1 x $2/1 Olay Wash/Lotion/Etc. product ManuQ(current P&G insert)=$2.00
1 x BOGO Gillette Deo'(current P&G insert)=$4.00
1 x $2/1 Gillette Deo'(last P&G insert)=$2.00
1 x $.55/1 Sierra Mist Cranberry TearpadQ(in the store)=$.55
Coupon Total....$23.04

$25.94-$23.04=$2.90
I used a $2.50+Ups and put the .40¢ on my Rite-Aid gift card.
I received $9 +Up Rewards for this transaction(3 x $2 school supplies wyb2, $3 Gillette wyb2), making it a $6.50 moneymaker.

Analysis....
The regular strength Gillette Deo' is on sale for $4 and there is a $3 +Ups wyb 2.
Stack the BOGO Gillette Deo Q(current P&G insert)with the $2/1 Gillette Deo Q(last P&G insert)and your 2 Deos cost $2 total.  Then you get a $3 +Up which makes the buy a $1 moneymaker.

**The Olay Body Wash and Olay Lotion is BOGO50% off this week.  Buy one of each, stack the $2/1 Body Wash or Lotion Q(current P&G insert)with the BOGO Olay Lotion/Body Wash Q(last P&G insert) AND the $2/1 Olay Body Wash Flu Booklet Q for a great deal.  It's an even BETTER deal if the cashier rings up the full priced item of the pair as your FREE BOGO Q item.lol


More Harvard Square pencils and erasers=more small moneymakers.


Andes peppermint bark mints...part of the Christmas candy clearance.
They were shouting at me as I passed by the shelf.  I had to quiet them up by throwing them into the cart.  Candy enjoys being told what to do....unlike teenagers.



And finally.....

 #3
2 x Gillette Deo' on sale $4.00=$7.98 *wellness disc. made it 1¢ cheaper than sale price*
2 x Darice Craft Kits w/20% wellness disc. $1.83=$3.66
2 x Dawn Dish Soap on sale $.97=$1.94
1 x Craft Marker w/20% wellness disc.=$1.43
***The soda should have been pictured in Transaction #2, oops!lol***
SubTotal....$15.01

Coupons Used
1 x $3 off $15 Q(sent to my email)=$3.00
1 x BOGO Gillette Deo'(current P&G insert)=$4.00
1 x $2/1 Gillette Deo'(last P&G insert)=$2.00
1 x $1/2 Dawn Hand Renewal Dish Soap ManuQ(last P&G insert)=$1.00
Coupon Total....$10.00

$15.01-$10.00=$5.01
I used $5+Ups and put the penny on my gift card.
I received $8+Up Rewards($5 Darice wyb2, $3 Gillette wyb2), making this a $3 moneymaker.

Analysis....
More craft kits and Gillette Deo=moneymakers, see above.
Hand Renewal type of Dawn is part of the .97¢ a bottle sale this week around here.  I used a $1/2 Q(the last P&G insert)making my 2 bottles $.47 each.
I needed the marker and it was a good price w/the 20% wellness discount.

Since I've accumulated quite a supply of toys/craft items in the past month at Rite-Aid, I've decided to make a point in 2011 to 'buy' more of this kind of thing.  I don't have children of the age to give these items to but I am going to gather them with an eye toward making a large donation to a local Toy Drive next Holiday Season.  I won't go out of my way to purchase toys/crafts, but if I can pick some things up for free or close to it, I'll include them in my shops.

THESE TRIPS
Total Spent....$1.04(put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$122.69
SCR qualified for...$2.00
Other Rebates earned...$0.00
Gift Cards earned....$00.00
+Up Rewards earned...$40.00
+Up Rewards spent...$17.50
+Up Rewards left to spend....$134.00



 
GRAND TOTALS--January Rebate Period so far

Number of Transactions......4
Total Spent....$1.04 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$122.69
SCR qualified for....$0.00
Other Cash....$0.00
Additional Rebates....$0.00
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for Dec. SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 12/24.....$111.50
+Up Rewards spent....$17.50
+Up Rewards earned....$40.00
+Up Rewards left....$134.00


So did you shop at Rite-Aid this week?
Tell us about the neat stuff you got for a great price!

Sluggy

Last of the Dec. SCR Period Rite-Aid Trips and Grand Totals

The few days before Christmas were a blur in many ways.
With all the things going on, I didn't get a chance to post my numerous Rite-Aid transactions from the last few days before Christmas.
Between December 22nd & 24th I completed 8 transactions at Rite-Aid.
OCD, me?
Maybe..... ;-)

Since these sales are over and I didn't take photos, I'll just list what I bought and leave out the juicy details.
Ready?

4 bags of Doritos/Tostitos
3 12-packs of Coke
4 Candles
4 Cans of Rite-Aid Coffee
48 Candy Bars/Skittles
5 Bottles Clearasil Face Wash
4 packs Bic Pens
2 trial packs Tugaboo Diapers
1 Winter Hat
12 bottles Motrin PM(Love this stuff!)
2 bottles Gain Dish Soap
3 trial size John Frieda products
2 Rite-Aid Toothbrushes
4 Revlon Nail Polish(75% off)
2 Mitchum Deodorant
6 Conair/Scunci Hair Products(assorted prices totaling $20.82)
1 Single serve bottle of Sierra Mist

I just want to note that the Buy $20 of Conair/Scunci products/Get $10 +Ups didn't print for me.  I put in a call to Corporate CS and they are on the way, no problem.  If yours didn't print either, be sure and call CS and get them!

THESE TRIPS
# of Transactions.......8
Total Spent....$4.87(put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$307.36
SCR qualified for...$7.00($2 Mitchum, $5 WYB3 JFrieda)
Other Rebates earned...$0.00
Gift Cards earned....$00.00
+Up Rewards earned...$95.00
+Up Rewards spent...$102.00
+Up Rewards left to spend....$111.50


And here are my Grand Totals for the SCR Period at Rite-Aid.

GRAND TOTALS--December Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......41
Total Spent....$19.31 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$1,633.18
SCR qualified for....$32.00
Other Cash....$11.99
Gift of Savings Reward...$40.00*both me and BIL account*
Additional Rebates....$0.00
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for Dec. SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 12/21.....$118.50
+Up Rewards spent....$381.00
+Up Rewards earned....$475.50
+Up Rewards left....$111.50


I finished up the December Rebate Period with $1,633.18 of products and $111.50 worth of Wellness + 'cash', as well as $40 in Gift Certificates for BIL and I.  In addition, Rite-Aid is sending me $32.00 in cash rebates for buying these products.
And all this cost me was $19.31 out of pocket which was put on a free Rite-Aid gift card I obtained from previous purchases.

This month's savings was truly amazing!
How about you?
Did you reap some great savings at Rite-Aid this past month?

Sluggy

The Year in Review 2010--Part II

No, I am not celebrating the New Year yet!
Mimi over at LIVING IN FRANCE is doing a Linky Thingy...don't ya like my use of technical terms?

Anyway, you are suppose to post your life's highlights from 2010.  This installment is covering April, May & June......and it's 2 weeks late so there is technically no Linky Thingy at the bottom, so you'll just get my post.
Sorry folks.

April
The Wellness + Program at Rite-Aid goes nationwide.  I already have earned my 20% off/Gold Level discount.  Living within a test market area sure helped me get a jump on that.lol

It snowed in April!

I reach my 600th post on the blog.  What is more amazing is that after 600 blog posts, I STILL have readers!

Did I mention it snowed here in late April yet?!

I did alot of decluttering and sending things off to Salvation Army.

I gleaned the stockpile and send alot of food off to the food bank too.

It freaking snowed here on April 27th!

I got alot of rebates sent off this month.

I gave out some awesome money advice.  Probably the best free advice I'll ever post.  If you missed it the first time, check it out HERE.

This is not freakin' Alaska!  How on earth can it SNOW on April 27th?!?!....that's only 2 weeks BEFORE Mother's Day....which is in MAY!  Whatever happened to "April SHOWERS bring May Flowers"?  They meant RAIN Showers, ok?....not SNOW Showers for cripes sake!!

MAY
Now that Rite-Aid had everyone hooked, they became the long, slow pull-back on the Wellness coupons.   The $X off a $XX purchase coupons started decreasing in value or disappearing altogether.
The other Wellness high value on 1 item coupons turned into $1 off $10 beauty or snack or cold and cough, etc. purchase coupons.
I am NOT happy!

More decluttering and sending 'stuff' off to Sallies.  In the process I reveal that sort of weird stuff I use to buy.

More food bank donations, including HBA and paper products since the FB here takes those kinds of donations as well.

#1 son comes home from his first year of college.  It only takes him 1 week before I am ready for him to go back to school!

We go sell stockpile extras at the Flea Market again. 
We leave with 13 boxes of items and come home with 6 boxes and almost $750.

I put #1 son to work on the Garden and get the soil ready to plant.

JUNE
Hubs sister comes to stay for a week.  With 6 people in the house and 4 dogs, plus Hubs brother who shows up from SC briefly, it's just a rollicking good time at our house!
And I don't lie very well, do I?lol


Work continues on the garden and it finally gets planted.  Now the waiting, watering and weeding begins....

I take part in the Food Stamp Challenge over at Katy's Blog.  This runs the whole month of June.
Though I don't have much trouble feeding everyone and staying within the guidelines of the spending aspect, I do learn alot and think differently about how our culture views the food issues in this country.

The teens leave for camp.
Some of the teens come home after a few weeks and some don't(the ones who are working at camp).
They all have an awesome time and that sound you hear is the emptying of my bank account, but it is well worth the life experiences they receive.

Hubs opens the swimming pool for the season.  We instantly become very popular with friends and relatives.  Our popularity is inexplicably tied to the heat index.....I wonder why that is?!?

PART III is coming tomorrow or Thursday so I can get this finished before 2010 finishes.

Sluggy

Monday Morning Christmas Quarterbacking

Like that quotable giant Yogi Berra once said, "It ain't over until it's over."
And it's over.
Officially.
Christmas that is....
It was lowkey and simplified.
I never set foot in a Mall or WalMart beforehand so I am calling it a Successful Holidays!lol

#2 son loved his Beatles CDs....

Daughter oohed and aaahed over her 'fake' Uggs I picked up at that ridiculously great sale at 6pm.com for $9.99!.....

And #1 son seemed to gush over the Jack Daniels Zippo lighter his SECRET SANTA gave him.....

And the belly laugh award does to Daughter's SECRET SANTA, who packaged her $20 bill inside an Austin Powers Penis Enlarger.....

Yes, it was INSIDE of the gag gift enlarger and she had to 'extricate' it, all the while voicing her protest with many "ewwww"s.lolol

Here are a few of the gifties Sluggy received.

From my SECRET SANTA(who turned out to be #1 son)

And from the Hubs......"the book that is not to be named"....lol

If you are real nice to me McVal, I'll let you read it. ;-)

And also from #1 son/Secret Santa, I got this....

And I'll be sharing these pearls of human stupidity every day on the blog in the coming year.
I know all you readers are shivering with antici.......pation!

The BIL and Nephew came over for dinner mid afternoon.
I set out appetizers of crudities, cheese and sweet bologna cubes, crackers, chips, tortilla chips, salsa, 2 kinds of dip and a fruit plate.
After everyone mowed through that spread, I served Ravioli with Italian Sausage and Meatballs and homemade Sunday "Gravy", along with a very elaborate Salad and those TMF Pepperidge Farm rolls.
Many cookies and 2 kinds of pie followed later.

And here's the very full and happy crew.....

The day after Christmas we said goodbye to #1 son as he headed back to western PA on the bus.  He has a job for the 3 weeks before school starts up again so he was only home 1 week.  I miss him already.....

We basically just relaxed after he left and did a little cleaning up here and there.  Hubs knee was paining him, Daughter is still sick with some sinus-y crud and my sinuses aren't feeling very clear either so we took it easy.
We ate more pie and watched as the Blizzard of '10 headed up the coast toward us.  The snow started around here at approx. 3pm.  At around 6pm I realized I didn't get out and get my Sunday papers(coupons)yet!  So silly me headed out in the snow at 6pm to the newspaper box to get some papers.....but they only had 1 paper left, I had to drive 1 mile further and go to Rite-Aid!ack


Needless to say, Rite-Aid was empty except for me and the employees.
I quick grabbed a paper and a few other things and headed back home.
Hubs thinks I have lost what was left of my mind going out in that mess for coupons.

The roads were a mess and it was probably the worst part of the storm for us, since the plow trucks weren't out because it was a Sunday evening.
No other After-Christmas shopping for me on Sunday.  

We only received about 3 inches Sunday night and by late morning on Monday it was bright and sunny, but still cold as a witch's teat and windy.

East of us got dumped on, upwards of 2 feet of snow!  Even south of us in Philly got a big helping of it.
We got 3 measly inches.
My brother in southern VA got 18 inches.  That's a very rare thing down there.  He should have come up here to the mountain for Christmas to avoid it....crazy talk, right?lol

So what did everyone else get for Christmas?
Was Santa good to you??

Sluggy

Gluten-Free Coconut Macaroon Cookie Recipe

I thought I'd share my gluten-free version of a classic Coconut Macaroon recipe.
Macaroon recipes require very little flour to begin with, so this was a perfect cookie to attempt without the 'evil wheat' that wrecks havoc with so many people's gastro-intestinal tracts.

First, the original recipe.  I don't recall where exactly I picked this one up since it's been in my personal repertoire the last 25 years, but I think it came off of a bag of Baker's dessicated coconut shreds.
Some recipes call for Almond Paste.  The paste is not always easily sourced and can be pricey so I don't often use recipes that call for it.  This recipe only calls for Almond Extract.

Coconut Macaroons--makes 2.5 dozen small cookies

Ingredients
*2 & 2/3 Cups shredded Coconut
*2/3 Cup of White Granulated Sugar
*1/4 Cup of Flour
*1/4 teaspoon Salt
*4 Egg Whites
*1 teaspon Almond Extract
*1 Cup Almonds, chopped(optional)
*Candied Cherries(optional also)

Preheat oven to 325F.
Combine coconut, sugar, flour and salt.
Separate whites from yokes(reserve yokes for another baking/cooking project).
Stir in egg whites and extract into other ingredients.
Stir in chopped almonds now(if using them).
Drop balls of dough onto lightly greased baking sheets(or use silicone mats instead of grease on sheets).
You can garnish with a candied cherry at this point too, if desired(optional).
Bake for 20 minutes.
If using greased baking sheets, remove immediately after cooking.  If using silicone mats, remove when you feel like it.lol

To make this cookie gluten-free is simple....just substitute 1/4 Cup Coconut Flour for the regular flour in the recipe above.
Coconut Flour is not a wheat product.  It's just coconut 'meat' that has been pulverized into a powder, or flour.  It has the appearance of 'flour'.  It acts as a binder for your cookies and imparts a bit more of a coconut flavor to your cookies.
You may need to mail order the coconut flour unless you are in a larger city with access to more 'ethnic' foods.  I have found it sold in 2lb. bag form and the price is quite reasonable.  A bag should last you quite awhile.

 I also like to color these cookies depending on the Holiday.  For Christmas(or St. Pat's Day for that matter), the newer Neon type food coloring gives you a nice shade of radioactive green as opposed to the old regular green food coloring which turned them a darker unappetizing shade.lol 

I have also melted dipping chocolate(those wafers of chocolate that come in a bag at the Craft Store-Wilton and other brands)and dipped or drizzled the cookies with chocolate.  They don't last long when you do that!

Sluggy