Wellness Wednesday Afterall

I got to work on the tub of goodies for giveaways.
Here is everything in the Rubbermaid tub and in the grocery tote bag laid out on the table....

And here is some of the candy.........

I've got 7 boxes put together and filled them up with goodies already so we are good to go through August now for giveaways.  8-))

About noon Wednesday Hubs went out to commence the shoveling and the snow had turned over to ice and rain and by 1 pm it was all rain.  Generally where we live if the weather folks say, "higher elevations will see snow and not sleet", that's what happens.  We are colder in the higher elevation here but this time the temp climbed over 32F here so we got rain, turning the roads to slush.

So Hubs drove me up to Rite-Aid during this short window of opportunity above freezing and I got my stuff and we scooted home.
Well I got my goodies after the pharmacist found the Wellness Wednesday stuff in a locked cabinet. 

The Wellness Ambassador person who handles WW stuff didn't come in today as she has a small child and all the schools were closed yesterday.  And of course the assistant manager who was there didn't know where the stuff was kept(heck he didn't even realize it was WW!lol).  Luckily the pharmacist having no customers basically(did I mention I was the only customer in the store while I was there?)so she had a few minutes to hunt down the Qs.  I would have been so disappointed if I had gone up there in this weather and couldn't buy anything.

Here is what I got..........

4 x Centrum vitamins=$39.96
4 x Neutrogena concealer makeup=$25.64
4 x Arm and Hammer detergent=$7.96 *not pictured*
4 x Ricola cough drops=$8.00
2 x R/S candy chocolate hearts=$1
2 x Thermacare back patches=$12.14
SubTotal.......$94.70


Coupons Used
4 x $4/1 Centrum WWQ=$16.00
2 x $3/1 Centrum IPQ=$6.00
2 x $2/1 Centrum IPQ=$4.00
4 x $5/1 Neutrogena make-up WWQ=$20.00
4 x $1/1 Arm and Hammer detergent IPQ=$4.00
2 x $1/2 Ricola ManuQ=$2.00
1 x $1/2 R/S candy hearts L2CQ=$1.00
2 x $3/1 Thermacare IPQ=$6.00
2 x $2/1 Thermacare In-AdQ=$4.00
A $2/1 Thermacare L2CQ also came off=$2.00
Coupon Total.......$65.00

I also had a $3/WYS $15 CatalinaQ but the new inexperienced cashier scanned it after giving my Wellness account and scanning all the other Qs so it didn't come off(my total by then was too low because $28 in Bonus Cash came off automatically when the Wellness card got scanned).  As long as I have Bonus Cash on a card I'll never get to use one of these $3/$15 Catalinas. sigh.

$94.70-$65.00=$29.70
$28 in BC came off(the $20 I wanted to use plus another $8 BC)and I paid the rest, $1.70, with a Rite-Aid gift card(I couldn't use PPs because the balance was under $2).

The first 4 items in my transaction all counted toward the Spend $40/Get $15 Back in Bonus Cash Deal and totaled $81.56 before Qs, so I earned back 2 x $15 in new Bonus Cash on those.

Two of the Centrums were $2.99 and two were $3.99 after stacked Qs.
The Neutrogena items were $1.41 each after WWQs.
The Arm and Hammer detergents were .99¢ each after Qs.
The Ricola bags were $1.50 each after Qs.
The Russel/Stover chocolate hearts were free after L2CQ.
The 2 Thermacare items .14¢ after Qs but I also earned $4.50 in SavingStar on two different rebates for Thermacare(yesterday was the last day to earn one of them).

I also earned a $3 SavingStar rebate on one of the Centrum purchases, so $7.50 total in SavingStar rebates on yesterday's transaction.

Used $28 in BC, put $1.70 on a gift card.
Earned back $30 in new BC and $7.50 in cash rebates.
A pretty good trip to Rite-Aid.  8-))

Sluggy

Random Stuff from Chez Sluggy

I know how McVal loves to do random posts so I thought I'd do one and offload some of these topics from my brain.  Brain dump time....woohoo! ;-)

* So here is a photo of what it looks like outside as of 9 am here..........

I doubt I'll get out to Rite-Aid today to take advantage of the one-day WW coupons. sigh.  And no, like someone said/offered, they won't let you use them on Thursday, even if they know you/like you and you ask sweetly. lolz

*  Checkout51-I really really detest how they don't removed the offers where all the rebates have all been claimed for that item!  Really??!!??  
I go there and see a big long list of offers and 50% or more are no longer available.  Save me and others a little time having to scroll and read all that crap we can't claim rebates on already!

Plus now many of the offers can't be claimed if you also use a coupon?  WTF?!?

And let's talkeabout how the offers just don't change on there...ever!  I've been looking at the same offers for months now.  And they are forever putting offers up for items they don't sell around here too.  What's the point of showing me those?!  8-O

* A few weeks ago when I went to put Chester out first thing in the morning so he could do his "business" I saw these ice crystals on the wooden deck railing.......

 If you look closely these ice crystals are like shards of glass, sitting up off the wood.

The ones where two were joined together sort of reminded me of tiny ice butterflies.

*  So let's rant about Ibotta too while I'm at it. lolz  Since I don't have a smartphone(I use my Daughter's phone to cash out but I have to use the laptop to load offers onto my account)I can't load and don't get to see but a limited number of offers. argh.

*  My low spend on groceries February is just about circling the toilet and it's only Feb. 7th!  I had a receipt/trip I forgot to put on January's total so I started the month behind the 8 ball.  Then I remembered I had an Ollie's 15% off flyer that expires on the 18th which, although it's 15% off already reduced foods(which is Good!)it will mean more spending in February.
Maybe I do have a spending problem?  Nah, I just have a TIMING problem. lolz

*  I really need to get back to working and posting about genealogy.  My last post on that was months and months ago!  I just looked and it was Nov. 9th.
And I need to work on some trip posts.....I am only up to Part 2 of our August 2016!!! trip to Maine and I posted that one in early Oct!
I have so much to show y'all from our trips and I guess that would be a tad more interesting than financial numbers and random shit like this, huh?  8-)))

*  Oh!, the sister in-law got a JOB!!!!!  She starts later this month.  And the brother in-law she is living with is pushing hard for her to get her own apartment(well, actually he's been pushing her since the second week she was living with him).  The problem is the bus line near his house doesn't run to the hospital where her new job is very often and doesn't go right by it.  And she doesn't have nor can she afford to buy/own a car right now.  And brother in-law doesn't want to be put upon to drive her to work.  So yeah.......  I told Hubs she should look at renting a room if someone near the hospital has one for rent.  It would be easier, closer and cheaper than having to get an apartment(especially since she has ZERO money now).  There is talk about she is getting some money back from the mortgage company she gave back her house to at some point in the future.  I have visions of once she gets that money that brother in-law is going to talk her into buying a car(which she can't afford)with it all.  She has had two cars repo'ed already(and one was an old POS car, not new).  What's the odds that she'll take a little of that money when she gets it and pays us back for the $$ we laid out to move her and her shit?  Yah, I don't think doing that will even cross her mind.  8-(
And now Hubs, after swearing to me that he was done financially bailing out his siblings, is now talking about giving her some money for a security deposit and last month's rent for an apartment!!!!! Can you tell I am NOT pleased?!?! I freaking kill him right now if it wouldn't impact the annuity payment. lololz
So the sister in-law saga continues.....

*  In lieu of Rite-Aid pillaging and showing y'all Rite-Aid Porn I guess I'll go work on Giveaways today.
Last month when I was up going through old files and purging them in the spare/office/hubs man-cave room I also did some organizing of my toiletries stockpile tubs in that room.

The last few months of 2017 I had just been throwing bags(mostly from Rite-Aid)onto the tubs and things were not being integrated into the proper tubs and items rotated by dates.
So I spent a few hours and went through EVERY TUB and reorganized.  And I pulled out an entire tub+ of items for Giveaways.  Last Saturday my supply of mailing boxes arrived from the USPS so I am all set to put together more boxes of goodies to giveaway....yippee!!!

Here's what I have to go through now and make up boxes.........

An 18 gallon Rubbermaid tub of all sorts of goodies.

Plus a grocery bag of more stuff!

And that doesn't even count the two Rite-Aid bags of candy I have. lolz

So I am off to sort goodies and get a year's worth(I hope!) of giveaway boxes ready.

What are you up to today??

Sluggy

Winter Shopping

I find myself in the midst of the Winter Shopping Season.
Around here, like in other areas among the Snow Belt, in the Winter you never know when you'll be able to get out to the stores.  Storms sometimes are predictable and more often than not, they are not.
So having a stockpile is a very good idea around here during the Winter at least.

I usually do my shopping on Wednesday(the last day of the Weis ad)but find I have to go out earlier this week as an all day snowstorm is predicted for tomorrow.
I already did this week's Mix and Match Deal at Weis this week.........I bought other things but I wanted to show you the M&M Deal most as it was the best deal...........

1 x Pinesol on sale=$1.99
1 x Lysol wipes on sale=$1.99
1 x Lysol toilet cleaner on sale=$1.99
2 x Mardi Gras napkins on sale=$1.99
1 x Sandwich Bros. on sale=$3.49
SubTotal.....$13.44

Coupons Used
1 x .75¢/1 Pinesol(fully doubled)=$1.50
1 x .50¢/1 Lysol Wipes doubled=$1.00
1 x .50¢/1 Lysol toilet cleaner doubled=$1.00
2 x .55¢/1 Mardi Gras(fully doubled)=$2.10
1 x $1.50/1 Sandwich Bros=$1.50
Coupon Total......$7.10

$13.44-$7.10=$6.34-$6 M&M discount=$.34 +.38¢tax=.72 OOP for all 6 items.  8-)))

I also picked up more Eggland's eggs on the trip above as they were still half price and I had another $1/2 ManuQ, making the eggs .75¢ per dozen.

I decided to go out to Weis again this morning and do the Mix and Match Deal a couple more times.  Of course when I got to the store, they were out of Lysol disinfectant wipes so I had to punt and get this instead........

The 5 Lysol items, Pinesol, Hidden Valley Ranch dressing, the 2 Celetano Eggplant parms, the 2 Sandwich Bros. sammiches and the Ling Ling Yakatori were all part of the Mix and Match Buy 6/Get $6 Off Instantly Deal.  After sale prices totallying $34.38, fully doubling up to .99¢ Qs totaling $12.50 and $12 instantly off, all 12 items came to $9.88.   8-)))
I also bought 4 bottles of Palmolive dish soap($1 after sale and Qs) and 4 bottles of Ken's salad dressing(after B2/Get2Free and $1 off peelies on 2 of the bottles they were .99¢ per bottle).

Not pictured in my order was a half gallon of milk, a bag of 50% off bagels and 2 cartons of ice cream(gotta have ice cream during a snowstorm)along with these.........

8 bottles of Sun brand dish soap.  These are being discontinued at my Weis Markets so they were .62 per bottle.  I believe Dollar Tree carries this brand so other than this clearance price you can't get them for under $1+ tax around here otherwise.
If there are any left on my next trip day there I'll get more but 8 bottles should last us a long while(plus the 4 bottles of Palmolive I also picked up this trip).

I spent $36.51 OOP for all the above, a savings rate of 61% according to my receipt.
I love to see anything over a 40% savings rate when I shop.


With the storm coming in Wednesday I am sad as it might keep me from going to Rite-Aid for the Wellness Wednesday.  WW is the first Wed. of the month and there are one day only R-A coupons available to stack with Manu/IPQs.  This sometimes makes for very cheap or free items at Rite-Aid.

On Sunday I worked up a plan for Rite-Aid for WW.  This plan involves using a $20BC that expires beginning of March(plus another $3 BC)and earns me 2 x $15 BC(doing the Spend $40/Get $15 BC Back Deal x 2)back as well as between $6 and $7.50 in SavingStar cash rebates.

It also involves buying a LOT of laundry detergent but that is something I can give to the local Food Bank and they will gladly accept it, so no worries.
If I can't get to Rite-Aid tomorrow I'll figure something else out.  I might not try to do the Spend $40/Get $15 Back in BC if Wednesday is a washout.  I'll use that $20BC on something like OTC nasal spray or turmeric capsules(the turmeric is BOGO this week). 
It is always wise to have back-up plans.


Sluggy

Saturday at Rite-Aid

Hubs decided to brew more beer on Saturday and took over the kitchen for the day.  He's now doing all grain brewing(instead of the easier part grain/part liquid extract type)and it makes the entire house smell like a fermenting tank x 20.
PU!
It got so overpowering that I was nauseous and had to leave the house(you could even smell it upstairs in a closed room).
So I went to Rite-Aid to hang out for a bit.

The mail had arrived that day already and I received a snail mail of some coupons good at Rite-Aid so I took those with me to see if anything was cheap/free/moneymaker after sales/Qs/bonus cash offers.

While there I decided to also see if they had any inexpensive Jovan or Coty colognes which I hadn't looked for yet that week...........

Select GE LED lightbulbs were on sale for $7.99 and gave $5 in Bonus Cash.  The snail mail coupons included a $5 off 1 GE LED lightbulb pack.

$7.99-$5.00Q=$2.99 and $5 back in BC.

I found two bottles of men's Cologne of the Jovan/Coty variety that were at a price point that made them either free or a moneymaker after my 20% Wellness discount, plus last week these gave a $10 Bonus Cash per purchase.

Jovan Ginseng NRG cologne reg. 12.00-20% discount($2.40)=$9.60
Stetson cologne reg. 12.50-20% discount($2.50)=$10.00

On my son's card......$7.99+$9.60+$10.00=$27.59+.04¢tax=$27.63

The new cashier scanned my card BEFORE trying to put my $5Q through so $27 in Bonus Cash I had on that card/account came off automatically.  I put the .63¢ left on a Rite-Aid gift card.
The  cashier gave me $5 cash for my Q and I earned $25 in new Bonus Cash(2 x $10 colognes, $5 lightbulb).  This transaction I came out a bit ahead, $2.37(converted $5 of BCs into cash and that goes into the "Post Q/Refunds/Rebates" envelope in my desk).

I also bought this lot on my card..........

1 x Remfresh=$7.99
2 x Schick razors on sale=$11.98
SubTotal......$19.97

Coupons Used
1 x $5/1 Remfresh IPQ=$5.00
2 x $3/1 Schick razors IPQ=$6.00
Coupon Total........$11.00

$19.97-$11.00=$8.97+.08¢tax=$9.05

An $8 Bonus Cash came off and I paid the $1.05 left with a R-A gift card.  I earned back $7 in new BC(2 x $2 Schick, $3 Remfresh).

Not a moneymaker but pretty cheap for razors, right?

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The "I Chose a Goofball Dog" Edition--

I just never know what Chester will do next.  The photo above he lugged his bed into to the doorway of his crate and it was practically vertical when he hopped in and went to sleep.

Here the bed is over by the back door and his front end has spilled out of it and he is fast asleep with his head on the floor. lolz

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning!

1. Sunday--Take-Out(Hubs and I only)

2. Monday--leftover Goulash, Harvard Beets

3. Tuesday--Tuna Noodle Casserole, Salad or Beets

4. Wednesday--Ham & Cheese Quiche, Brussels Sprouts

5. Thursday--Tacos
6. Friday--Ham & Cheese Omlettes
7. Saturday--Leftovers

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Take-Out(Hubs and I only)

2. Monday--Birthday Out

3. Tuesday--Tuna Noodle Casserole, Salad

4. Wednesday--Beef and Broccoli stir-fry, Rice

5. Thursday--Italian Sausage Sandwiches, Harvard Beets
6. Friday--Beef Stroganoff, Rice
7. Saturday--Leftovers

Last week saw 4 nights of home cooked dinners, 1 nights of leftovers/fend for yourself, 1 night of take-out and 1 night of Eating out.  Monday we all suddenly were going to be home so we did my Birthday meal out. The ham meals didn't happen so they move to this week or the ham goes into the freezer for another time.

2 Trip to Weis, 1 trip to Walmart and 1 trip to Maines restaurant supply(for produce and deli meats mostly)brought the shopping last week to $78.19 for all.  That brings February's food spending total to $78.19.  There are 23 days left in my shopping month.

My savings percentages last week was 46.87% and the monthly savings so far ends up at 46.87%(without Rite-Aid trips added in).

Leftovers going into this week.......ham, tuna noodle casserole, beef stroganoff and beef/broccoli stir-fry.

Here is this week's "food plan".....

1. Sunday--pizza(one homemade, one store bought frozen)  No one was really hungry so these happened and everyone grabbed something else to their liking if they wanted more/different.  It was a strange food day.

2. Monday--Leftovers

3. Tuesday--Tacos or Taco Salad

4. Wednesday--Fish, Veg, Potato Salad or ?

5. Thursday--Ham and Cheese Quiche, Salad
6. Friday--Leftovers
7. Saturday--?

This week will see 4 new meals cooked, 2 nights of leftovers, 0 night of Take-out/Eat-Out and 1 night of ?(who knows at this point lolz).  I am totally uninspired this morning about a meal plan. 
Next Sunday I hope to get back into my Soup Sunday groove.  Any suggestions of what to make?  I've got makings for a Ham and Bean, a Clam Chowder, a French Onion or a Potato Gnocchi(oh wait, I don't have any spinach for that one).

The only thing I need to buy to make these meals is salad greens and milk.

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Was last week's plan successful, did you go off plan or did you not even plan what was going to be eaten last week?

Any great deals on food at your stores this week?


Sluggy