Rite-Aid ClusterF&*k on Friday or How to Unintentionally Convert BC to Cash

I had to go pick up an Rx on Friday so here is what I also bought at R-A and how the transaction should have gone.
I had $13 in Bonus Cash on this card going in.........

3 x Professional Suave shampoos on sale=$7.50
2 x Suave men's shampoos(large bottles)on sale=$5.00
4 x Bic disposable razorsBOGO50% sale reg. $4.99 ea.=$14.96
SubTotal........$27.46

Coupons Used
1 x $4 when you spend $20 R-A snail mailed Q=$4.00
1 x $2/2 Suave Professional items ManuQ=$2.00
1 x $1/1 Suave Professional item ManuQ=$1.00
3 x Bic $3/1 R-A in-Ad Q(from previous week's ad/good until 7/11)=$9.00
3 x Bic $3/1 Flex/Soleil/Comfort3 razor IPQ(Bic website)=$9.00
1 x $1 PeelieQ off the Bic Twin Select razor pack=$1.00
Coupon Total...........$26.00

$27.46-$26.00=$1.46+.78¢tax=$2.24 which I would have paid for with my Bonus Cash and earned $2 in new BC(2 x $1 wyb2 Bic razors).

There was also a $1 PeelieQ on one of the Comfort3 Bic razors but I told her to put that aside as I was using one of those $3/1 Qs on it.

But things didn't go that way now, did they? lolz
I put in my card into and press yes to use BC.  That part went well.
Cashier scanned my items, ok.
Then as she scanned the $4 off $20 purchase Q and started bagging everything up before putting anymore Qs through and the register decided to become HAL from 2001:A Space Odyssey.



So the cashier didn't even touch the register and it just applied my BC without the cashier scanning another single coupon.
So with that move by the register's computer my total went from $24.76 to $7.76.
$24.76-$4 Q-$13 BC and we are at $7.76.
After we both shook our heads over what just happened the cashier scanned $7.76 worth of Q in and the register wouldn't let her take anymore Qs.($2, $1, $3 and $1.46 worth on another R-A in-ad $3 Q)as my total was now Zero!
And she could take off the $1.46 worth of the $3 Q either.
It was crazy!!

The assistant manager had to come over and deal with this, so I ended up using some Qs, the $13 in Bonus Cash on the card and putting the .78¢ sales tax on a free R-A gift card.
And then I got handed this wad of cash..............

$14 on cash.
I pointed out that she gave me cash for that $1 Peelie Q which I wasn't using in this sum but at that point the Asst. Manager was so frustrated she said, "Just take it."

So I used $13 in CB, .78¢ on a R-A gift card, got back $2 in new BC and $14 in cash.
I can't work out how this is correct in my head or with a calculator but there ya go!

I should be .24¢ down(even after earning back $2 in new BC)but I'm up $2 something.

I seriously think the computer at this R-A is possessed!  I know the cashier didn't have her hands anywhere near the register when it pulled a HAL.  We both just stared open mouthed in non-belief at the register as it's bells and whistle noises went off.  Then we both looked at each other like, "did you just see what I saw?!, in a I don't believe what just happened way.
After we called the Asst. Manager over and tried explaining what just happened I don't think she believed either of us(and the cashier wasn't so new employee either, she's the back-up Asst. Manager).

Crazy times at Rite-Aid.............

Sluggy

Frugal Friday--the July 3rd Edition

A brief check around Chez Sluggy to see what frugalness we stumbled into this past week...........

* I got an email from the cash rebate portal company I go through for all my online shopping saying they were cutting and mailing me a check and it arrived on Thursday.
I am $23.27 richer. woohoo!

Obviously I haven't done a lot of online shopping but I'll take that little check and smile all the way to the bank with it. lolz

* I hit Weis(PMITA)Markets last Friday and spent $75+.  I went on Friday to get one of the Fantastic Friday Deals-Shrimp for $4 per lb in 2 lb. bags!  I found boneless pork ribs BOGO with a $2 instant sticker on one pack, a small roasting chicken with a $3 instant sticker and a pack of thinly sliced Perdue breast meat with a $1 off instant sticker.  I also found the fresh Rana brand pasta(mushroom variety)in the deli/produce department on sale for $3.99 a bag with $2 instant stickers on them so they were half off so I picked up 2 of those as well.  Around here the store was well stocked(no obvious holes where products were missing and the tp aisle was loaded with goods.

I also found a couple of clearance deals-blueberry flavored applesauce cups 50% on clearance(.99¢)and boxed organic letntil soup likewise 50% on clearance($1).

* Since I didn't go many places this past week I didn't find much money but I DID find some!

These two pennies I found in Rite-Aid last Friday when I went there.  One was by the self-checkout register and the other was down an aisle(which aisle escapes me now).

And this penny was found at Weis(PMITA)Markets on Friday half tucked under the Coin Star like change counting machine next to the Customer Service Desk.

The only other place I went this week was the hospital for tests and no change was found there. 8-(

Total Change Found this Week....... .03¢
Total Change Found this Year so far...$46.45

* Though this happened last week here is the rundown on my Ibotta score I had talked about........

Not everything I got is pictured because I left some with my brother and sister in-law as they could use those items and Ex-CB ate some stuff before I got a photo...........

32 items were bought(19 items pictured)and 29 offers were submitted for(some offers required 2 items to be purchased)between Kroger, Walmart and Rite-Aid stores.

$42.86 was spent OOP and $12.45 in Bonus Cash was used on items bought at Rite-Aid(so no OOP there and I earned $6 back in new BC too).
$38.22 in regular Ibotta rebates were earned along with $16.50 in Ibotta Bonuses making a total of $54.72 in cash rebates back, thus all this was a $11.86 moneymaker. 8-)))

* I also bought this at Rite-Aid this past Sunday..........

2 x Suave men's shampoo on sale=$5.00
2 x Bic Comfort 3 razors BOGO50%=$7.48
1 x Yoohoo drinks(for Ex-CB)on sale=$1.00
1 x Bumble Bee tuna packet 75% off=.42¢
SubTotal.............$13.90

Coupons Used
1 x $1.25/1 Suave men's shampoo ManQ=$1.50
2 x $3/1 Bic razors(Flex/Comfort3/Soleil)IPQ=$6.00
2 x $3/1 Bic razors(Flex/Comfort3/Soleil)In-ad Q from previous week but valid until 7/11/20=$6.00

Coupon Total....$13.50

$13.90-$13.50=.40¢

I earned $1 in new BC for buying 2 Bic razors so a .60¢ moneymaker. 8-)

* I also got $4 cash post coupon back at Rite-Aid this week..........

I found 4 clearance 75% off BenGay at a Rite-Aid last week in VA.  But even though sister in-law said she'd print me off some Bengay Qs to use but she didn't have adobe on her computer so no coupons for me.  So when I got home to PA I printed off 4 $1/1 Bengay IPQs and took them, my receipt and those boxes of Bengay up to my local R-A and got $4 back for those Qs. 8-)))
The BenGay was $1.69 a box/tube on clearance and gave $2 Bonus Cash when you bought two so I got $4 in BC and ended up paying .69¢ per box/tube after "post coupon" refund so this was a $2.04 moneymaker in the end. Nice.

* Since I tweeked my left knee on Sunday and I wasn't up to standing in the kitchen to cook this week I used a free gift card to have Hubs pick up pizza one night to give him a break from cooking.

Other than the above, we stayed home, ate all our leftovers as well as a couple of "old dogs" from the stockpile here and didn't go anywhere.

What frugal stuff happened this past week in your world?

Tell us all about it!


Sluggy

Food Spending 2020.....The June Report

Onward to Junes's food spending report.......

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for JUNE 2020.

I have posted June's totals on the Total Grocery Savings Page located HERE and have updated the Totals there.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in June.  If you aren't interested in that much detail, just skip to the bottom for the Totals Sum.  My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable. We are a family of 4(3 at home this month). No "kids" under 24.
*****************

CARONE'S/SHURSAVE
OOP  $26.02
Value  $27.22
Savings   .41%

KROGER
OOP  $30.34
Value  $57.87
Savings  49.57%

OLLIE'S
OOP  $17.55
Value  $60.44
Savings  70.96%

PandR DISCOUNTS

OOP  $15.57
Value  $39.32
Savings  60.40% 

RITE-AID *
OOP  $59.60
Qs/Ads/BC/GCard  $442.55
Value  $502.15
Savings  98.73%

SHARP SHOPPER
OOP   $174.36
Value  $389.31
Savings  55.21%

WALMART
OOP  $9.82
Value  $12.75
Savings  23.00%

WEIS
OOP  $72.29
Qs/Ads  $51.85
Value  $124.14
Savings  41.77%

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 98.73%, Ollie's at 70.96% P and R Discounts at 560.40% .   My worst savings rate was at Carone's with .41%. But then again, Carone's was Hubs' shopping and not mine. lol  MY worst rate was Walmart at 23.00%

I shopped at 8 different stores in June.

I also earned $92.42 in cash rebates in June which helps offset the spending once I cash those in at the end of 2020.

TOTAL Spent........................................$405.55

TOTAL Coupons/Store Sales................$807.65
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased........$1213.20

TOTAL Savings of ................................66.57%


This closes out the June food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....

I did stay under the $500 budget I set for myself in June so that's positive.  I hit lots of food 75% clearance(and some OTC meds too)at lots of Rite-Aid both in PA and VA near my brother's house which stocked me up for not much money so that's a plus too.

The monthly food spending savings percentage went UP by 16.70% in June 2020 to 66.57% compared to the May 2020 rate of 49.87% savings average.  A very significant jump down in savings rate.  I'm all good with that!

With 6 months accounted for, I have spent a Year-To-Date Total of $2176.07 on food/toiletries in 2019.

Going into 2020 before the pandemic blew the wind out of my sails I wanted to stay at or under $4K for the yearly food spending.  At this point I don't think that will happen but we'll keep plugging along anyway.


2020 Yearly Grand Total Spent....................$1770.52

2020 Yearly Grand Total Value of Items.....$4875.66

2020 Grand Total Saved...............................$3105.14

2020 Yearly Savings Total............63.69%

The average per month amount spent is $354.10 at this point in 2020 which went up some from April's average.  As long as I'm around $400 per month it's all good.

LOOKING AHEAD To July 2020.............

July will be eating down the freezers and buying fresh produce as it comes into season mostly.  If I hit on deals we can use/need I'll pick that up too but I hope to stay under $300 this month.  Sluggy plans and God laughs. lol

If you have other ideas or guidelines you follow please leave a comment and share yours with us all.

*  How much did you spend on food/toiletries in June?

*  Do you track your yearly food spending?

*  What was your savings percentage buying on sale and/or with coupons vs. buying at regular retail price last month, if you track that sort of thing?

*  What are your methods for keeping your food spending in check?

Is anyone out there up for tracking expenditures and trying to spend less but still eat well?


Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Laid Up in Bed Edition" Edition..........

Wouldn't you know it, Sunday I tweeked my left knee(the good knee)on the way out the door to go to Rite-Aid and it just felt worse and worse over the course of the day.
I am on Day Two of staying upstairs in bed in hopes staying off it and not going up and down the stairs helps it feel better.
Otherwise it's off to the doctor. sigh

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning-

This is what was planned.........

1. Sunday--No Clue
2. Monday--Steak, Asparagus, and?
3. Tuesday--Maybe Pizza? or Leftovers

4. Wednesday--No Clue
5. Thursday--No Clue

6. Friday--No Clue
7. Saturday--No Clue

And this is what really happened.......

1. Sunday--I had a big Salad
2. Monday--Steak, Asparagus, leftover Butternut Squash
3. Tuesday--Leftover Teriyaki Beef w/Bok Choy, Salad

4. Wednesday--Sweet and Sour Chicken take-out at son's
5. Thursday--a bowl of  Rice Krispy cereal

6. Friday--Hot and Sour Soup
7. Saturday--leftover Soup

Last week saw 2 nights of home cooked dinners, 3 night of leftovers/FFY, and 2 nights of Take-Out and no dinner for me on Sunday.

What got put into the freezer last week....
* 1 pack of thinly sliced chicken breast
* 6 tv dinners(Maybe this was a premonition that I wouldn't be able to cook for awhile?)

What got taken out of the freezer and used.....
* No clue what Hubs made at home except pork chops one night and steak another that he told me about on the phone.

Hubs spent a whole $26.02 on groceries while I was away.  He did eat a couple of "dogs" in the pantry-things that had been bought for him that he never got around to making. I pulled them out and put where he could find them yet he didn't go crazy on eating pasta and sauce which I assumed he would(since he loves it so and I just can't eat tomato based sauces much anymore).
I pillaged a could more R-As down in VA and hit a Sharp Shopper in VA and a Walmart in WV on the way home as well as went with sis in-law to Kroger twice which brings my June food spending to $405.55.

I am at $91.42 total earned in Ibotta rebates in June plus $1 in rebates on Saving Star for June which brings my actual June spending down to $313.13 after that's factored in.

My savings percentage the last 3 weeks was 50.58%(without "regular"Rite-Aid trips)for June and the monthly savings total comes in at 56.37%(w/out R-A).

I have 0 more food shopping/spending days in June as it's the last day of the month today. 8-)

Leftovers going into this week.......nothing really as Hubs hardly cooked while I was away.  With Ex-CB back at work as of last week Hubs just made something for himself.
Must be nice to do that and not have to meal plan. 8-(

Here is this week's "food plan".....my first full week back home.

1. Sunday--Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
2. Monday--Salad and Pizza
3. Tuesday--FFY

4. Wednesday--Crab Cakes, Sweet Potato Wedges, Broccoli
5. Thursday--Mushroom Ravioli, more Broccoli

6. Friday--Caesar Salad w/Grilled Chicken
7. Saturday--Something Chicken-I have a roaster that needs to be cooked and ?

What needs buying for this menu? Nothing.  I might get fruit, deli meat and milk.  That's it.

What's left on my master list of meals we can make from what's at home...........
* Shrimp Tempura
* Tuna Casserole
* Roasted Chicken
* Shrimp/Crab Ravioli
* Cheese Ravioli

* Spaghetti and Meatballs

* Breakfast for Dinner

* Grilled Chicken  new

* Grilled Steak  new

* Haddock Fish Dinner  new
* Chicken Tenders  new

* Beef Liver  new
* Pork for Tenderloin Sammies  new

Plus lots of thinly sliced Chicken Breast, grass fed Ground Beef and Ground Turkey in the freezer.

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

Frugal Friday......the June 26th Edition on June 29th

***It's the last day for the June Giveaway winner to contact me before I pick a new winner.  Come out, come out wherever you are LISA B.!  *And no, you have never been known as Lisa B. Dr. Spo. ;-)

I am still playing catch up on blog and home stuff here.  I tweeked my left leg yesterday(that's my GOOD leg! ugh)so am bedridden for now and typing from the bedroom as I am verboten from going down the stairs(at least until Hubs gets tired of going up and down the stairs to retrieve me drinks/meal/stuff/etc.). lol


Here is my half-assed attempt at Fridays' Frugal post...................I say half-assed since I am looped up on pain meds right now. ;-)

* While in VA last week we took care of some legal/builder business.  Met the builder at the house and handled the lawyer stuff via Zoom from my brother's house.  There are no bills attached to these initial consults so yay us!

*  While not pillaging Rite-Aids or going to the grocery store(Kroger)with sis in-law we did some reading, free entertaining things online, watched tv or sat outside in the mornings on the porch talking.  And I took a LOT of naps!

*  I sprang for dinner on Saturday and used another free Chili's gift card.  Two Chili's meals in as many weeks is my limit!

*  I didn't want to make more work for my sis in-law so I bought about half of my own food at the grocery store so she didn't have to cook(plus she pays for all the groceries for the household out of her income)--stuff like salad fixings or frozen foods I could heat up when I got hungry.  Plus they eat dinner so late(7-9pm)and I just can't do that.  The money spent while down there that I ate down there I'll take out of the eating-out funds and not our grocery budget.
I went with her twice to Kroger where they shop so that was exciting. I had an old Kroger card Hubs and I picked up in our travels in TN or KY or somewhere but I used her card so she got the points which they use on gas there.  We don't have Kroger anywhere near here in PA so better for her to benefit from my points, right?

* I found money!

This .11¢ was found by my sister in-law's car in the driveway.  I am thinking it fell out of the trash pile that is her car's backseat. lol

This penny was found on the floor at Lidl when we went for asparagus and beer(to bring home to Hubs).

These two nickels were found under the floor mats in sis in-law's car.  I spied them while getting into her car and offered them to her but she said keep them.  She probably would have just thrown them into the back of the car's trash pile anyway. lol

This penny was found at an R-A sis in-law took me to to return an item.  It was on the sidewalk outside when I was walking into the store.

Total Change Found this Week....... .23¢
Total Change Found this Year so far...$46.42

*  Most of the Rite-Aid trips the second week in Va was returning an item and going back to stores to get a refund because two store cashiers didn't deduct R-A peelie Qs on products...........

This $1 on a box of cereal.

And this $2.15(taxable item)on a bottle of vitamins I bought for Hubs.

$3.15 cash back in my pocket and $3.15 less in Bonus Cash to have to roll.

* There were two Ibotta Bonuses worth doing that overlapped a bit over the course of the 2 weeks I was gone.  I ended up getting them both so $15 extra on that platform............

Everything pictured here(plus 2 x Arnicare leg cramp items on clearance at R-A that I gave to sis in-law, a coffee drink Ex-CB drank before I took this photo, plus two small Noosa yogurts I left with eldest son, a large Fage Greek yogurt I didn't finish and left w/brother and wife and maybe something else I can't recall as my paperwork for it all is downstairs right now)gave me an extra $16.50 in Bonus(the 2 big Bonuses, a .50¢ June Level 1 Bonus and a $1.00 for buying 2 or more Nuun items(the small canisters in the photo).

I'll do a post later this week about how all this was an $11+ moneymaker after rebates.
Oh, and I had two people sign up under my Ibotta referral link and buy something using the app before June ended(one of those folks being sis in-law)so I also got an extra $20 on my Ibotta account in June.
I earned $91.42 in June Ibotta rebates.....woohoo!!!

*  Not much Rite-Aid pillaging since a week ago Friday.
We did get this..........

The  previous week's Bic In-Ad $3/1 Q is valid until July 1 so I took a number of extra ads that first week to cut those out to use last week and this current week.
That Arnicare had a $3 peelie Q on it and was $2.99 on clearance and there's a $3 Ibotta rebate so a $3.01, the Compeed was $7 and gave back $3 in BC plus sis in-law got a $2/1 Compeed Q in her RMN insert and there is a $4 Ibotta on this so it was a $2 moneymaker.
The razors, while they didn't give $1 in BC back(that was the previous week's ad)after 20% Wellness Discount were $9.47 total, then I used a $2/1 Soleil ManQ sis in-law had and 2 x $3/1 RA In-Ad Qs.

Altogether this was $19.46, $6.46 after Qs and the purchase gave back $3 in BC and $7 in Ibotta rebates so even with whatever the sales tax was(again, I don't have the receipt in front of me)this was still a moneymaker.  I gave all these items to sis in-law too.

I also got these razors at the store where I went for the $2.15 peelie Q snafu(the original trip there when the Bic razors was giving $1BC wyb2).  With Wellness Discount the razors were $3.99 per package.  They each had a $1 peelie Q in them so I had to add a cheap item so all my $8 in Qs would come off even though the razors only cost $7.98 after discount.  The Cella cherry was .31¢ after 20% disc. so I paid .29¢ plus sales tax on the razors(.02¢?)and earned $1 in BC so better than free.

And I hit another R-A on the way up to Fredericksburg and got this.....
A different variety of Compeed so free after BC and Ibotta rebate.
And I found two Nexxus items on the clearance area for $2.49 each.  Last week when you bought two Nexxus items you got $10 in BC back so this was a $12 or so moneymaker($8 back in BC and $4 in Ibotta).

That's it from me on my latest vacation edition of Frugal Friday......

What frugal wins did y'all have this past week or so?

Sluggy