You Get Me.....You Really Do!

If you remember oh....yesterday's post......now don't say you can't remember THAT long ago or I will commence to worry about you!......anyway, I presented an issue of great importance that was driving me to distraction.

After reading every blessed comment left, I am so glad to see that I have been VALIDATED on this issue!



Ok...maybe she should be saying, "You are like me!" lol

Thanks to one and all.
Of course, you my dear readers are of the frugal mindset(well, MOST of you are!lol)so I knew I had a supportive audience before I began. 
Now I just need all of you to come here and help me with a frugal intervention with the Hubs.

Sluggy

More Rite-Aid This Week...Oh Goody I Hear You Say!

And here is a quickie.......stop smirking Judy.......

2 x Brach's Candy Corn Mix..Gawd! Enough with the candy corn already!!! on sale=$2.00
2 x No Nonsense Sock Packs w/Wellness 20% off($3.99)=$7.98
1 x Blistex moisture lip balm on sale but cheaper w/20% Wellness disc.=$2.39
1 x Conair 2 pack combs w/20% Wellness disc.=$3.51  that's STILL alot to pay for 2 combs!
1 x Robitussin Cough/Cold syrup w/20% Wellness disc.=$5.59  I opted for sugar-free diabetic variety
3 x Rite-Aid brand Spice w/20% Wellness disc.=$2.40 (.80¢ ea.-cheaper than dollar stores)
SubTotal....$23.87

Coupons Used
1 x $1.50/2 Brach's IPQ=$1.50  (I had to use this one as it expires next week.)
1 x $2/1 Conair item In-Ad Q from sales flyer=$2.00
1 x $3/1 Robitussin item In-Ad Q from sales flyer=$3.00
1 x $3/1 Robitussin item ManuQ(9/30 RP)=$3.00
Coupon Total....$9.50

$23.87-$9.50=$14.37
I used $14 in +Up Rewards and put the .37¢ on my Rite-Aid gift card.(The balance is now under $10.)
I received back $11.50 in +Up Rewards (2 x $4 NN Socks, $2.50 Blistex, $1 wyb3 Spices)
This means all this stuff cost me $2.50 in +Up Rewards.

Now the analysis.....

* The candy corn cost .50¢ a bag after the Q.  I will be so glad when candy corn season is over!lol

*The No Nonsense socks 2-3 packs give a $4 +Up this week per pack, Limit 2(The sign may say Limit 3 but it's a lie!)  They had a single pr. of socks pack that would have been a moneymaker after +Ups BUT, it was NOT a 2-3 pack and the sign said +Ups only on 2-3 packs so I didn't chance it.  After 20% Wellness disc, the $4.99 socks were $3.99 each and I got a $4 +Ups back for each, so a 2 cents moneymaker!lol
Free socks so I won't complain, right?

*  The Blistex is a no-brainer.  It's the Moisture Melt variety, on sale for $2.50 and gives a $2.50 +Up.
If you have 20% discount level you pay $2.39 and still get a $2.50 +Up back.  11 cent moneymaker but who's counting?  My store had signage and lots on the peg and it's already Tuesday.....this is puzzling why it's not sold out!

* Conair hairbrushes, combs, mirrors, rollers.  This $2/1 In-Ad Q is NOT good on a single comb however(which still would have made it cost .71¢ after Q and discount).  I got the cheapest items I could find that qualified-a 2 pack of combs.  #2 Son eats combs....he must, at the rate at which they disappear around here. Ingesting combs is not good for one's health...I need to stop feeding his addiction.  The comb pack after 20% discount and $2Q still cost me $1.51.  I might just return this and go buy a pack of combs at the Dollar Tree and save myself .45¢ after tax.  Not my brightest purchase, eh?

* Robitussin.....bought the cheaper type.  Prices were $6.99 or $7.29 reg. shelf.  Either price point after 20% Wellness disc. would have netted me FREE cold meds.  I stacked a $3 Robitussin ManuQ with the $3 Robitussin In-Ad Q, giving me a $6 reduction in the price of the item.  The item was slightly under $6 after disc. but I had other items(like those overpriced combs)to eat up that overage.  Give the ManuQ first and then the In-Ad Q to avoid making the register gods angry and causing the dreaded BEEPAGE!

* The Spices....a little gen I just happened to spot wandering down the food aisle.
Rite-Aid spices are $1 this week.....I think they are $1 EVERY week!lol  With your 20% discount they will cost you .80, which is still cheaper than the Dollar Stores.
Even better this week, buy 3 Spices and get a $1 +Up Reward back.....meaning after counting the +Up, you pay $1.40 for 3 bottles of spice, or .4666666¢ each.  HALF the price of the Dollar store!  I picked up Garlic powder, Chili powder and Oregano.  We go through a LOT of garlic and oregano here.  I believe the limit on this +Up deal was 3....or was it 4?  Next time I'll pay more attention to that.

Another trip is in order later this week......more Robitussin, more Socks and Blistex(on BIL's card), more Spices and cheap Trident which I didn't pick up yet.

So what, if anything, are YOU getting at Rite-Aid this week?

Grand Totals for October so far......

Out Of Pocket....$0.00  cash
Value of items bought.....$232.99
Savings Rate of  100%
Single Check Rebate due....$0.00
Other Rebates due......$0.00
After SCR applied, Out of Pocket.... $0.00
Savings Rate  100%

+Ups at beginning of month...$25.98+
+Ups used....$72.98+
+Ups received...$64.50+
+Ups currently...$17.50+

Sluggy

Eat Fresh! But Don't YOU DARE Save Money Doing It!

I want to get some other folks thoughts on an issue Hubs and I can't seem to see eye-to-eye on.

Subway is currently running a "special" this month.
A 6" Meatball or Combo Sub is $2.

When we get Subway, #2 Son always gets a Meatball Sub.
He will eat 1 12" or 2 6" subs worth.

So we went to Subway to get some subs to take home for dinner the other night.
I tell Hubs to get #2 Son 2 6" subs, so we pay $4.  If they make it as 1 12" sub, it's the regular price of $5.
We save $1 on his meal if we purchase it as 2 6" subs.

Hubs says that no, if he wants 12" of sub, he'll buy 1 footlong sub and not 2 6" subs.
He's spending an extra $1 on this when he doesn't have to......and he REFUSES to do it my way and save that $1.
It is driving me insane!

Why is he so bull headed?  It's not like I am asking him to use a coupon or do anything dodgy or illegal!

I know we won't starve for want of him spending that extra $1 on the sub(s) but why spend it when you don't have to?!

You do stuff like this....spend unnecessary money when you don't have to......and it adds up, right?
It just goes against every frugal fiber in my being.

I think he'd better off saving that $1 because the alternative is spending many more dollars than that when he has to pay for additional blood pressure medication for me because he is making it shoot into the stratosphere, he is!

I guess I could go start drinking heavily instead of getting annoyed to no end.

So how about you?
What side of this globally important issue do you come down on?

*Would you buy 2 smaller subs and save that buck?

*Or would you be so inflexible and stick to the way you always buy the sub, as a footlong and go ahead and waste money by staying with how you have always done it in the past?

As you can see from how I worded this question, I harbor no bias toward either side of this issue.....*snort*....

Sluggy

Food Spending OCTOBER Week 2, Meal Planning Week 3 & A Bit More

 Need I say more?

***********************************

And here is what passed for meals around here last week....

Sunday--Salmon, Asparagus, Coconut Milk Rice

Monday--Hot Dogs, Corn, Beans

Tuesday--Tuna Helper, Brussel Sprouts

Wednesday--Chicken Parmesan, Caesar Salad

Thursday--Chinese Take-Out

Friday--Subway Sammies

Saturday--Leftovers

Can you tell I ran out of steam at the end of the week? lol

Last week I was good.  One trip to the grocery was it for me.  I spent $45.57.  Reg. retail would have been $72.57.  I used no coupons but just bought loss leaders and sale items.  I did an Instant $5 Discount Deal(on Betty C/Gold Medal/Green Giant/etc. items) which made my spending total higher, but it was all things I would need in the weeks coming.....pie crust mix(cheaper and easier to store than the frozen crusts), bags of flour(holiday baking and we were almost out), OJ for $1.88(!), a couple of Healthy Choice TV dinners for $1.88(for when #2 son doesn't want what I cook), 100% Juice for $1.66(!), some sugared-up yogurt, apples, grapefruit, milk and chicken(thighs on sale) and ground beef(was all out of this/needed it for Sunday's dinner/good sale price).

I've spent $247.63 of my $400 monthly food budget so far this month.  That leaves me $152.37 for the second half of October....or to break it down, approx. $75 for each of the next 2 weeks.
It's very do-able I think....considering the sales ads here SUCK this week! ;-)

I am going into the new week with these leftovers......NOTHING!   I am cooking a tad less  in quantities overall, so we are having fewer leftovers.  What little leftovers we had this past week got used.  1 helping of Tuna Casserole, 1 helping of Salmon and Asparagus and 1 helping of Chicken Parm each gotten for lunches or on leftover night.  Hubs used some of the leftover rice with his leftover Chinese food for lunch yesterday and he's used more of it up for lunch today by throwing some chili over it. Mmmmmm

***********************

This week's menu.....moving 2 meals we didn't serve last week to here.

Sunday--Tacos(that we didn't have last week)

Monday--Crockpot Garlic Pork, Mashed Potatoes, Collards(from garden)

Tuesday--Beef Stroganoff, Rice(using leftover rice), Sugar Snap Beans

Wednesday--Rigatoni with Sauce, Garlic Bread, Caesar Salad

Thursday--Barbecue Chicken Thighs, Veggie I dig out of the freezer, Cornbread
Friday--Pizza

Saturday--Leftovers

 

What I need to buy this week to serve this menu?.....lettuce, mushrooms, sour cream and frozen pizzas.  I figure I'll be out of steam by Friday and there is a good deal on Freschetta pies this week(plus a $1.50 Q)so I'll just break the bank here and buy some pizzas.  I can dress them up once I get them home if I want them to taste almost homemade.  I want to pick up some fruit this week as well.  Add in the milk and we can do this for about $30.

So what are you cooking at your house this week?

Let me tack on a quick run to Rite-Aid this morning too because that's not enough for a post unto its self.  My store runs out of 12 packs quickly when they go on sale, especially the Dr. Pepper.  If I wanted any I had to jump on this or have to go all the way downtown to do the deal later in the week.  And why spend the gas going downtown if I don't have to, right?

3 x Coke Product(Dr. Pepper) on sale Have to buy 3=$12.00

1 x Coke Product(Dr. Pepper) w/Wellness Discount=$4.71

SubTotal.....$16.71

Coupons used were....

2 x $1/2 12 packs Dr. Pepper IPQ=$2.00

2 x $1/2 12 packs Dr. Pepper VV AdPerks Q=$2.00

$16.71-$4.00=$12.71 + .04¢tax(on the .71 I didn't use +Ups to pay)=$12.75

I used $12 in +Ups to pay and put the .75¢ on the trusty gift card.

I received $3 +Ups for buying 3 coke product 12 packs, so I spent down my +Ups by $9.

I had to get that extra pack so I could use the 2nd of the AdPerks and the IPQs.

After everything this deal worked out to $2.25 per 12 pack which is a good price for here.

I'll hide 2 of these away for the kids until Christmas time, because I figure now that I'm done buying soda for this year, they'll be out by then.

Having this unexpected surprise will help keep them in a good mood when they are home trapped all day with me.  It's my "eye rolling" insurance.  lol\

And can you believe what Rite-Aid is charging for 12 packs of soda now, their regular price which I NEVER buy it for?

$5.89.....$5.89!!

For colored sugar water. 

Are WE insane or are THEY for thinking anybody would buy this product for that price?

Grand Totals for October so far......

Out Of Pocket....$0.00  cash
Value of items bought.....$202.46
Savings Rate of  100%
Single Check Rebate due....$0.00
Other Rebates due......$0.00
After SCR applied, Out of Pocket.... $0.00
Savings Rate  100%

+Ups at beginning of month...$25.98+
+Ups used....$58.98+
+Ups received...$53.00+
+Ups currently...$20.00+

Sluggy

The End of Rite-Aid Shopping for 10/7-10/13

Here's what I got an Rite-Aid late Saturday afternoon.
This was as soon as I could get around last week to getting back there!
I wanted to hit the larger Rite-Aid downtown because my town's store has less shelf space so lots of times by the time I hit them for a good sale, they are wiped out.
This other Rite-Aid also gets their truck in on Friday's so on Saturday, IF they got wiped out during the week, they get more goodies in for me to buy....woohoo!

So here is what I got.....

2 x Dove for Men Body Wash for $7.  They had them at this store so after $4 in Qs and the $2+Up I got back,, they cost me .50¢ for each bottle.

2 x Colgate Toothpaste at $5.98.  I used 2 x $1/1 ManuQs and after the 2 x $2+Up they generated, this deal was a .02¢ moneymaker.

4 x Trident Gum(16 ct) for $4.  After 2 x BOGO IPQ and the 2 x $1+Up every 2 packs  generated, this was 4 packs of FREE Gum.

2 x Zicam Spray on clearance for $6.48($3.24 ea.).  These clearance ones also generated the $4+Up like the ones on sale for $8.99 did, so after my 2 x $2/1 IPQs and the 2 x $4+Up generated, this deal was a $5.76 moneymaker!

2 x Right guard Soap 6 packs for $3.98($1.99 ea.).  Remember this was on sale a week or so ago?  I got a raincheck because my store didn't have any on the shelf when the sale started even!  I found 2 packs at the downtown store, using my raincheck.  I used a $2/2 IPQ which brought the price down to $1.98.  Then the cashier used a $1/1 PEELIE Q on one of the packages, which means after Qs I paid .98¢ for BOTH 6 packs(or .49 cents for ea.).  Unfortunately I didn't see that the other pack of soap have a $1 PEELIE on it too, or this could have been a .02¢ moneymaker instead.
I do have 2 more packs left on my raincheck so I'll be sure to take the Peelie and stick in on any more packs I buy.....if they don't already have a Peelie on them.  ;-)

1 x Chapstick Overnight on clearance for $1.24.  No Qs or anything....I just wanted to try this.  The clearance price made it tempting enough. lol

SubTotal......$28.68
Coupons Used....$15.00
Total....$13.68 + .55(taxes applied are after +Ups are applied to bill)=$14.23

I used $14 in +Ups from last week and earlier in the week to pay, and put the .23¢ on my gift card.
I received $16 in +Ups back($2 Dove, 2 x $2 Colgate, 2 x $1 Trident, 2 x $4 Zicam).

I got all pictured above for free plus I grew my +Ups by $2.

I plan to give the Zicam spray to #1 son and #2 son.  The gum is for Hubs.  The body wash and soap are also for the menfolk here.  Look for the Colgate to come to a giveaway on the blog in the near future. ;-)

Now I'm off to study the new weekly ads.
I'm in no hurry to roll +Ups this week but if I see something good I will go in.


Grand Totals for October so far......

Out Of Pocket....$0.00  cash
Value of items bought.....$178.90
Savings Rate of  100%
Single Check Rebate due....$0.00
Other Rebates due......$0.00
After SCR applied, Out of Pocket.... $0.00
Savings Rate  100%

+Ups at beginning of month...$25.98+
+Ups used....$46.98+
+Ups received...$50.00+
+Ups currently...$29.00+

Sluggy