Sunday Shopping....Big Lots & Rite-Aid

Hubs and I went to Big Lots on Sunday while we were out.

10 x Old Orchard 100% Juice on sale $2=$20.00
2 x Ground Cumin $1=$2.00
1 x Nido dry milk=$3.00
1 x Tuna Helper=$1.00
Total....$26.00

The juice was $2.50 and marked down to $2.00 so we stocked up.  I only buy the 100% stuff, never the juice "sugared up cocktail" varieties.lol
I was out of cumin.
I wanted to try the Nido dry milk as I've heard of it for years but have never found it on the shelf around here before.  It was $3 and makes 2 gallons.....I have no idea if that is a good price but since fresh milk is regulated by the PA Dairy Board(ie-the price is artificially inflated and regulated and does not fluctuate due to supply and demand like it does in the rest of the country), we pay almost $4 a gallon for milk.  So 2 gallons for $3 is a deal to us.

The Tuna Helper......well, it was an impulse buy.  We haven't had it in ages and if I don't get a bare minimum of processed crap my brain might seize up. ;-)

Then I went off to Rite-Aid by myself.
I went because I had a $4 Hydro Razor Q that was expiring on Sunday to pair with a Rite-Aid emailed $2 Q.  I planned to get the Hydro 3 razor and after 20% Wellness discount and Qs it would have cost me .67¢.
Well, the plan was great.....except that the store was out of 3's and only had the more expensive 5's.
Ugh.  The $1.63 THAT razor would have cost was a good deal but I didn't get it, because I didn't need a razor.  Hubs like cheap single blade disposable razors....go figure!
But I just couldn't leave Rite-Aid without SOMETHING, now could I?LOL

2 x Powerade on sale .88¢=$1.76
2 x Extra Gum on sale 2/$2=$2.00** RANG UP w/ 20% Wellness discount instead $1.03=$2.06
1 x St. Joseph Aspirin 200 ct. on sale=$5.99
4 x Oreos on sale 2/$6=$12.00
SubTotal......$21.81

Coupons Used
1 x $1.50/2 Powerade AdPerk Q=$1.50
2 x .50¢/1 Extra Gum AdPerk Q=$1.00
1 x .50¢/2 Extra Gum IPQ(walmart site)=$.50
2 x $1/2 Oreos AdPerks Q=$2.00
2 x $1/2 Oreos IPQ(Smartsource dotcom)=$2.00
Coupon Total....$7.00

$21.81-$7.00=$14.81
I used $11 in +Up Rewards....$14.81-$11.00=$3.81 + .04¢tax=$3.85 OOP


$3.85 OOP sort of....

I was suppose to get $11 in +Ups back($5 St. Joseph, 2 x $2 Oreos wyb2, $1 wyb 2Extra Gums).
But the Gum was NOT coded to produce +Ups OR come up as $1 purchase price.
So I put $1.10 on my free gift card(a moment of silence for the end of the gift card please....), paid $3.75 in cash.
When I told them the Gum $1 +Ups didn't print, they gave me a dollar back.....so I "paid" $2.75 cash.
I didn't notice that the gum rang up 6 cents too much.  If I go by there this week, I'll get my pennies back for that.

So I paid $2.75 and got $10 +Up Rewards back.
But that's not all....

I bought $12 of Oreos and there is a $2 SCRebate this month for that, so I'll get $2 cash back next month for that.
There is also a St. Joseph's SCRebate.  It's advertised in the Weekly ad as on sale for $5.99 AND a $2 SCR available for this same size product.
But if you look in the SCR catalog, the rebate is for the 300 ct. bottle of aspirin, so I'll submit it and see if it comes through.  If it doesn't come through AND I want to be a hard ass I could call Corp. CS and argue about false/misleading advertising and such until they make good on it.
Whatever.....

I paid $.99 in the end for the aspirin and that's a great price on this 81 mg. stuff!  And it's something I use as I am on a baby aspirin regime. ;-)

So I paid $2.75 OOP, got $10 +Ups back and I'll get either $2 or $4 in cash back.
Either way, it's a good deal!


Cookies and Powerade going into the Marching Band supplies, Gum goes in the Xmas stocking box and the Aspirin goes into me. 8-)

As of now, my Monthly Rite-Aid Stats for JULY are....

Out Of Pocket....$16.36 cash
Value of items bought....$65.52+$49.25+$49.19 + $36.01=$199.97
Single Check Rebate due....$6.00(or $8.00)

+Ups at beginning of month...$33+
+Ups used....$55+
+Ups received...$32+
+Ups currently...$10+ 


Food Budget spent today.....$28.75

Did you find any good deals anywhere this past week?


Sluggy

What I Bought at Rite-Aid This Week

I had $7 in +Up Rewards to spend/roll.
Here is what I got this week.....
And so you aren't shocked later on in this post, let me tell you I actually SPENT MONEY this week at Rite-Aid! 8-(

15 x Gatorades on sale $1 each=$15.00
2 x Milky Way bars on sale .50¢=$1.00
2 x Extra Gum on sale .99¢ each=$1.98
1 x Gillette Custom 3 Plus disposable razors w/20% disc.=$6.39
1 x Gillette Shaving Cream w/20% disc.=$3.03
SubTotal.....$27.40

Coupons Used
1 x $1/2 Milky War bars IPQ(no longer available)=$1.00
1 x $.50/2 Extra Gum ManuQ(AllYou Magazine)=.50¢
2 x .50¢/1 Extra Gum AdPerks IPQ=$1.00
1 x $2/1 Gillette Custom 3 Plus razors ManuQ(P&G)=$2.00
1 x Buy G. Razors Get Shave Cream Free ManuQ(6/10 insert)=$3.03
Coupon Total.....$7.53

$27.40-$7.53=$19.87 + $.74tax=$20.61

Used my $7 +Ups...$20.61-$7.00=$13.61 OOP

I received back $11 in +Up Rewards.....(2 x $1 WYB5 Gatorades-limit 2, $5 WYB15 Gatorades-montly deal, $4 WYB select Gillette Razors)

Now I know I could have broken this into 2 transactions and paid about $4 less OOP in the end and wound up with $7 +Ups instead of $11 +Ups.
But I was in a hurry to get somewhere else so I bit the bullet and spent $13 instead of $9 OOP when all was said and done.

*With Marching Band camp about a week away, cheap Gatorades(.53¢ each)tempted me.lol

*The candy bars were free so a no brainer.

*The gum was .24¢ a pack so almost free(these will be stocking stuffers).  If you can find the Key Lime Pie flavor of Extra Gum it's ringing up on clearance so would be much cheaper, maybe even free with overage if you have the right coupons.

*The Gillette razors are part of a deal where the $12 and such non-disposable razors are on sale for $9.99 this week AND give a $4 +Ups back on purchase.  This particular disposable package IS pictured with the non-disposable ones on sale AND also gives the $4 +Ups.  At my store this disposable pack is $7.99 reg. retail, so with 20% Wellness discount comes out to be $6.39.  With the $2 Q and $4+Ups, it ends up costing me .39¢ for the package.

*I saw on A Super Savvy Saver that there is a coupon in the 6/10 inserts(Red Plum) you can pair with these razors that will give you a free can of shave cream too.  Thanks Sheila! 8-)
So the razors and shave cream cost me .39¢ OOP.

As of now, my Monthly Rite-Aid Stats for JULY are....

Out Of Pocket....$13.61 cash
Value of items bought....$65.52+$49.25+$49.19=$163.97
Single Check Rebate due....$4.00

+Ups at beginning of month...$33+
+Ups used....$44+
+Ups received...$22+
+Ups currently...$11+ 


What did you find good to buy at Rite-Aid this week?


Sluggy

I Hope That I Die Herrrrrrrrrre!

After yesterday's post full of numbers and money and Sunday's post full of historical grimness and violence, how about we finish out the week with....oh, I don't know......sarcasm and laughter?!

Works for me!

To get you all up into Downton Abbey mode before the 3rd Season begins on PBS......whenever THAT may be!........go have a lookie at these episodes.

You need to recap what has happened or get up to speed.
Now repeat after me......the rich people live upstairs, the servants live downstairs......

Episode 1



Episode 2



Have a great weekend!

Sluggy

Personal Finance Q&A Time

I saw some financial Q & As that have been making the rounds in the Personal Finance Blog world, over at Slay The Monster, and I thought I'd play along.

Given our age and how long we've been keeping the finances, Hubs and I are near the end of our journey both through life and through the money maze.  So not many will be able to take any ideas away from this.  Maybe folks can see how it looks on the "other side".....once you get the cars, mortgages and debts paid off though.

Question #1 What is your income?  Hubs is not comfortable putting that info out there.  I will say that we are now upper middle class as far as his salary goes.   We started out in student loan debt when we got married.  I was a waitress and he worked whatever job he could get.......including dishwasher, inventory taker, clerk in a law library and night security guard.  A few years later we had to pack our lives up and move 400 miles away to finally find a good job for Hubs.  He got hired by a large insurance company and worked his way around the firm to find his niche in the pension and retirement business end of things.
 Me?  I am a SAHM so I generate no income outside of small side jobs on an irregular basis.  I am "support staff" so that Hubs can spend his days working for "the man". lol

#2 What are my fixed expenses?
Utilities(electric/water/cable/internet/landline)
Food(though this varies)
Cell phones(pay-as-you-go)
Garbage
Sewer
School taxes
Local taxes
Property taxes
College tuition x 2
House Insurance
Car Insurance x 3
Health/Medical Insurance(includes Dental & Eye care)x 5
Long Term Care Insurance x2
Life Insurance x1
Retirement Savings


 #3 What would happen if I died tomorrow?
Hubs would have to take over the day-to-day finances and all the household stuff which I handle now.  Since I don't work outside the home, there is no life insurance on me now.  Use to have some, when the kids were little and they would have had to be taken care of while Hubs worked.  The expenses would go down(no more paying for my medical or long tern care insurance)....and I wouldn't be eating either.lol
Things would go on as usual after awhile if I died tomorrow.  They would however have to give away or sell my fabric hoard....lol

#4 Where would you get $500 for an emergency.
From the checking or the emergency fund savings accounts where the spare money is liquid.  At our ages and after having been saving for as long as we have been(almost from the beginning of our marriage 30 years ago), we have much more than this to yank out for an emergency at this point.

#5  What would you do if you got fired from your job?
I'll answer this from Hubs persepective, as he is the one making the money.  He is so close to retirement age that we would get a lawyer first thing.  Firing him(without a cause such as theft, etc.)would be grounds for an age discrimination lawsuit.  He is in the retirement business(one area that is growing by leaps and bounds), so being let go would be suspect.  IF for some reason the business shrank and they had no choice but to fire him, we would look into his being offered an early retirement package(where they bridge his income to retirement age)or some such concession.  He could mostly likely also be hired in his field as a consultant.  That would give him a short term income near the level he makes now....and might be enough to get him to retirement.
Now for me, if Hubs lost his job?......I'd shut down any spending that was NOT basic.  The cable would go, the landline but we'd keep internet for now.  No credit card spending on anything!  Food budget would drop like a rock!lol  Would be more vigilant on utility usage.  Medical costs would go up as we'd be forced onto COBRA.  We'd probably take oldest son off of medical/dental since he'll be out of school in the Spring(if it happens after that).
We would shrink the "nut" we needed to live for a year as small as possible to make the money last until Hubs pension money and/or social security kicked in.  We'd get jobs of some kind, as would any of the kids living at home and the kids would contribute a portion of their income to the household.
After #3 kid finishes high school in 2 years, we would sell the house and move.  We'd downsize and go to an area near family and/or somewhere cheaper to live.

The last thing we'd do if we had no other choice..... the college funds would be kept for living expenses.
The kids would have to finish up school on their own dimes.


#6  How will you live in your retirement?
Not sure yet exactly where.  We are looking at retirement in 4-6 years.....probably more toward 6.  We have run the numbers and unless things change drastically, we will have enough income in retirement to be comfortable.  We want to travel a bit at first before settling down somewhere.

#7  What could you sell for extra cash if needed?
The extra car.
Part of the collection of jewelry my mother left to me.
We really don't have much else that is valuable to anyone else.

#8 Does your spending align with your values?  We try to do this.  We don't buy stuff just to buy it.  We buy very few wants.  We try to buy local and made in this country.  We try to buy quality.  That being said, sometimes price overrides these.lol  We believe in people being responsible for their choices in live and living the consequences of those choices so we don't hand money over to everyone who has their hand out.  We give thoughtfully and to those we truly feel are the most in need.  Though we will help family in true need, we don't believe in enabling family members who misbehave with money or giving money to family who can work but choose not to.  We'd rather pay a bill to keep their lights on than hand them cash so they can go to the mall and buy another designer shirt with it.


#9  What are you teaching your kids about money?
It's a tool and how you use that tool will decide what kind of person you will be as an adult.
It's like "the force" and you need to understand it and while you are at it?....use it for good. 
And if you want to have a life filled with nice things, you need to make a lot of it and spend it wisely.   ;-)

My older 2 kids "got it" once they had to start spending their own cash.  I still need to work on the youngest kid.  16 year olds with their hormonal brains aren't the best students when it comes to teaching this stuff.lol

#10  What steps can you take today to improve your financial situation?
We waste so little now it's hard to come up with ways to make our situation better, other than me finding a job that pays me a large salary......and that is not going to happen.lol




Sluggy

Despicable College Hijinks

Ah Summer!
Let us recount all the joys that Summer brings......
warm days
picnics and outdoor gatherings
life just seems to slow down
pooltime
grilling out fun foods
vacations and traveling
College bills are due

Yes, if you have kids in college(or are about to), Summer brings those dreaded College Tuition Bills too.

Daughter's bill arrived the end of last week which seemed a bit early, even to me!
And even better, even though she doesn't start classes until after Labor Day, the bill is due in full by July 27th.

So I sat down last weekend to go over the bill....you know, to make sure the charges were correct and all.....because I have a thing about giving away our money when we don't have to. lol

She had a charge for something I didn't recognize so I hopped onto the school's website and found it and what it was for.
Everything looked good except.......except there was no credit for the $50 Deposit we had paid back in March when she applied, which was suppose to be refunded if/when she enrolled/paid for her 1st semester.

So I told the Daughter to call the school and take care of it since it is HER life, HER education and SHE is now an adult. ;-)
She called the school and told me that the person she spoke to said that the deposit had already been applied to her bill.

I showed her the bill and asked her to show me where on it, the credit had been applied.....which she couldn't do.
I then asked her whom had she talked to at the college......she said, "some one in Admissions".

I then explained to her that "some one in Admissions" was NOT who you talk to about a BILLING problem and that they are probably told to just say "your deposit is already taken off your bill" to anyone who calls them, thinking it will satisfy them and they will just go away.lol

So Daughter rolls her eyes(meaning "why are you making such a big deal out of $50?!"...though if it was HER $50 it would suddenly become a VERY BIG DEAL!lol)and walks away and gives up dealing with the problem.  It is too much trouble for her to get to the bottom of this issue.

I then call the College and speak to the Billing Dept. clerk.  She as well tries to tell me that the credit is already applied as her initial response......this is even before she knows which student's bill I am referring to.
*face palm*

So I insist she bring up the specific bill(I can wait)on her screen and we can compare the one I am holding with her copy and she can show me exactly where my $50 deposit shows up(or doesn't).
I am given a big old exasperated *sigh* and then she asks for the student ID# and puts the receiver down and clicks some keys.
After more key clicking suddenly Daughter's bill drops....$50?!
How can that be, when her bill was correct and that $50 had been applied already?
Oh, I know how it can be......

I tell the Clerk that I am writing the new total on the bill with a note why I am not paying the full amount.
She says that is fine, that the new lower amount is showing in their records now, so send the original invoice in with the lower payment.

Having gone through this little charade, it makes me think that NOBODY who puts a Deposit down and ends up attending this college has their Deposit applied against their Tuition charges.....nobody unless they NOTICE and ASK FOR IT BACK!

By operating in this manner, the school assures themselves that a percentage of students(and I am thinking it's a substantial percentage of students)will forget about that $50 Deposit and never get it back.

Most students are 18-20 years old and NOT very concerned with taking care of paperwork anyway, so between having to actually proactively DO something to get the money back, and many of them are utilizing financial aids(loans/grants) and/or having parents pay the bills....so letting others "take care" of the money parts and not worrying about the finances, this College is filling their coffers unethically by keeping all these Deposit checks.

Figuring they admit 3,000 new students a year, if 50% of them don't get their Deposit checks back, that's a bonus of $75,000 a year for the College!

Crazy like a fox this school is.....

Since Daughter couldn't be bothered to take care of this?  I am taking that $50 out of her College Fund and putting it into my "Mom's Mad Money" Fund.   I get a bonus and she pays stupid tax.....

Moral of the Story--Watch the accuracy of those College invoices and talk to the correct department if there is a problem.

Sluggy