CVS Shop from Monday

 I had $22.50 in ECBs(none of which was expiring until 9/8 but I had CRTs and Qs expiring and I wanted to get out of the house)so Hubs and I took a short ride across the river to CVS on Monday.

First off I bought this........

1 x Physician's Formula lip stick=$9.99

2 x Halloween themed Hallmark Cards at .99¢ ea.=$1.98

SubTotal.....$11.97

I used these coupons......

1 x $4/1 Physician's formula item CVS CRT Q=$4.00(gotten 2 weeks ago?)

1 x $3/2 Hallmark Cards CVS Q=$3.00

Coupon Total=$7.00

Except the cashier modified the Hallmark Q down to $1.98, the total for the 2 cards.  All the Youtube CVS gurus said they got $1.02 in overage since their cashiers didn't modify the Q.  Bummer for me, right?

So my coupons came out to $5.98.  $1197-$5.98=$5.99

I paid with a $5 ECB I had so my total OOP was .99¢+.06¢ sales tax so $1.05.

I earned back a $7 ECB for buying the Physcian's Formula. rah.

Then I wanted to do the Spend $40/Get $10 ECB offer so I bought this.........

The Elvive hair products, the Old Spice body wash, the Bic pens, the Crest toothpaste and the Nature Valley bars were all part of that deal.  the Cheerios weren't nor was the Colgate.

BUT...I had a Spend $18/Get $3 off Oral Care CRT and a Spend $12/Get $3 food CRT so I had to add those products to the transaction to get(along with Qs for them)to hit the spending amounts and get the additional $$s off(because it was a better deal overall).

This is one of the things that skeeves me out about CVS....having to do a massive transaction and a lot of advance planning.  Plus sometimes you can't advance plan because if the red box gives you a  good/great deal then you have to partially redo your planned deal.

Another thing that gives me the heebies jeebies is the way they ring up stuff and trying to follow what is coming off in terms of Q/CRTs/ECBs/etc.

So anyway the transaction was this.......

2 x Elvive items on sale=$8.00

2 x OS body wash BOGO50%=$10.48

2 x Bic pens BOGO50%=$4.03

3 x Crest toothpaste B2G1Free=$9..98

4 x Nature Valley bars on sale$1.99=$7.96

My Spend $40/Get $10 ECB total was $40.45

Also bought-

2 x Cheerios=$5.00

2 x Colgate($3.69/$4.59)=$8.28

SubTotal....$53.73

*I was going to add more .99¢ Hallmark cards as I had 2 more $3/2 CVS Qs for those which would give me $2.04 overage in a perfect world like on Youtube but I knew the cashier here would modify those Qs down so I skipped that.

Coupons Used........

1 x $2/1 Elvive CVS digital Q=$2.00

1 x $2/1 Elvive IPA=$2.00

1 x $5.49 BOGOFree Old Spice CVS digital Q=$5.49

1 x $1.50/2 Bic writing items CVS digital Q=$1.50

1 x $5/2 or was it 3? Crest items CVS digital Q=$5.00

1 x $1/2 Nature Valley CVS digital Q=$1.00

1 x $1/2 Nature Valley Peelie Q=$1.00

1 x $1/2  Big G Cereals CVS digital Q=$1.00

1 x $3/2 Colgate CVS digital Q=$3.00

1 x $3/$18 Oral Care CVS CRT=$3.00

1 x $3/$12 Food CVS CRT=$3.00

Coupon Total.......$27.99

$53.73-$27.99=$25.74

I used all $24.50 in ECBs I had(including the just earned $7 for PF)and was left with paying $1.24+.03¢ sales tax=$1.27 OOP.

I earned back $14 in new ECBs($10 spend $40/Get $10, $4 Spend $8 on Colgate).  And I also earned a $3 Beauty Buck the next day because between the shampoo I bought and the lipstick it pushed me over the $30 threshold so I have $17 in ECB.

But I spent $24.50 in ECBs so this all cost me $9.82 in cash OOP and ECBs. ($7.82 if I can get the SavingStar rebates worked out.)  I don't consider this a great trip.

I was also counting on $2 plus credit toward a $5 rebate on GM cereals there on SavingStar but the CVS card on file is wrong and that site won't let me link my active card. I get a message saying "linking loyalty cards is unavailable" so I emailed support but I can't get a reply. Ugh.  Is anyone having a problem linking loyalty cards on Saving Star too?

So I don't have to go back there until mid September(when the ECBs start expiring again).  Eventually I'll say "screw it" and not buy anything that gives back ECBs and be done with CVS again. ;-)  I'll stick to Rite-Aid as long as they hang in there.

Did anyone get a great deal at CVS this week?  Tell us all about it.

Sluggy

I Went to Rite-Aid on Sunday

 I went more to get out of the house and see my friends there but I did do a transaction too...........a transaction that hit $20 before Q so I got credit on my Bonus Cash Challenge of X number of visits before it end in September.

This type of toothpaste qualifies for the In-ad Rite-Aid $2 off Q AND if you have Load to Card there should be a $3/2 Colgate toothpaste Q on your account to clip.

(Yes, like we all need MORE free or almost free toothpaste after last week, right? lolz)

2 x Colgate toothpaste on sale $3.99=$7.98

2 x Zims Max Freeze BOGOFree=$10.49(hopefully your store price is lower at $9.99)=$10.49

2 x Arizona Iced Tea .79¢ w/20% Wellness Discount=$1.58 *1 nor pictured because I drank it lol*

SubTotal..........$20.05

Coupons Used

2 x $2/1 Colgate In-ad RAQ=$4.00

1 x $3/2 Colgate toothpaste L2CQ=$3.00

1 x $3/1 Zim's Max Freeze CatalinaQ=$3.00

Coupon Total.........$10.00

$20.05-$10.00=$10.05 paid with Bonus Cash.

$10 in new BC earned back on the Zim's(2 x $5).

All the above cost me .05¢ in Bonus Cash.

Not bad.

On the other hand I had to go back to CVS too yesterday and I didn't do nearly as well.  That place gives me the heebie-jeebies. lolz  More on that trip later.

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The "More Veggies From the Garden" Edition...............

More ripe tomatoes that the critters didn't get first.  We've been getting one or two at a time, not a deluge.  I need to not eat a lot of tomatoes so Hub has been slicing them for lunch sandwiches mostly, though I did make myself a BLT last week with one and it was heaven. 8-)

Onward to the meal planning!

Moving On....

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

1. Sunday--FFY(I had oatmeal for dinner)
2. Monday--Beef Stroganoff, Rice, Carrots
3. Tuesday--Grilled Salmon, Salad

4. Wednesday--? Not making dinner so who knows??
5. Thursday--Meatloaf(I'll make ahead for Hubs), the rest TBD and Hubs responsibility

6. Friday--Chicken Pot Pie
7. Saturday--Chinese Take-Out

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

1. Sunday--FFY(I had oatmeal for dinner)
2. Monday--Leftovers(Pork Teriyaki Stir-Fry w/Veggies
3. Tuesday--Beef Stroganoff, Rice, Carrots

4. Wednesday--We went to Bob Evans in Hershey(I had a big salad)
5. Thursday--Meatloaf(Beef/Chicken), Corn on Cob, Strawberries

6. Friday--Lasagna Hamburger Helper, Chopped Asian Caesar Salad
7. Saturday--Leftovers(Stroganoff, Rice, Strawberries)

Last week saw 3 nights of home cooked dinners, 3 nights of leftovers/FFY, and 1 night of Take-Out/Eating Out.

I made a meatloaf on Tuesday for later in the week so Hubs fried/browned slices up in a skillet and he grilled local corn from Sharp Shopper we hit on Wednesday after the surgery.

I mixed the leftover pack of ground beef w/what was left of the pack of ground chicken(after making a meatloaf w/veggies shredded into it)and browned it.  Part of that went into the Helper meal and part into this past Sunday's meal.

That last chopped salad from Price Chopper we got the previous week was still good so we had it Friday(though I had oil and vinegar on mine as the dressing included was too spicy!)

What got put into the freezer last week....
* 4 tv dinners

What got taken out of the freezer and used.....
* a small London Broil

* ground Chicken

* ground Beef

We spent $56.48 between CVS and Sharp Shopper bringing our food/toiletries/HBA/paper goods to $354.64 so far this month.  So much for a low spending month. ;-)

I've earned $91.96 on Ibotta in August so far since last week.  $10 more from Rite-Aid and $11.76 from the Cash Pool Bonus. I've got more coming from Sunday's Weis(PMITA)Markets shop too(will add that in the next report when I add that shop in too).

I've earned $4.25 on SavingStar in August so far but am closing in on a $5 wys $25 GM cereal rebate there as well.

My savings percentage for last week was 72.29%(without "regular"Rite-Aid trips)for August and the monthly savings total for August comes in at 57.44% so far.(w/out R-A).  Much better than last week's percentage because of the CVS shop mostly which was over 80%(though the Sharp Shopper shop was over 40% too).

Leftovers going into this week......Beef Pie, Beef Stroganoff, Rice, Meatloaf, Hamburger Helper.

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

1. Sunday--Sloppy Joes, Strawberries
2. Monday--TV dinners
3. Tuesday--Leftovers

4. Wednesday--TV dinners
5. Thursday--Leftovers

6. Friday--Anniversary Dinner out or more Lobster from PC?
7. Saturday--Grilled Salmon and whatever fresh produce I can find

What needs buying for this menu?  Might get Lobsters again as they are still cheap(not as cheap as last week but close).  I don't feel like cooking(and Hubs doesn't either)so we'll eat all those tv dinners this week.

What's left on my master list of meals we can make from what's at home(not that I'm referring to/using it at this point with the heat).
* Shrimp Scampi
* Tuna Casserole
* Roasted Chicken
* Shrimp/Crab Ravioli
* Cheese Ravioli

* Breakfast for Dinner

* Haddock Fish Dinner  new
* Chicken Tenders  new

* Beef Liver  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 August 21st Edition

 Here's an abbreviated posting of what was frugal around Chez Sluggy this past week.

*  I spent $12 in ECBs at CVS that were expiring.........

$ worth of items for .96¢.  I earned $12.50 in new ECB too.

* I found money!

.12¢ total at my local Rite-Aid on Tuesday.  Two pennies in front of the register counter and a dime under the adjacent candy rack.

Go me.

Total Change found this week. .12¢
Total Change found this year....$47.62

*  I got 1 tube of Colgate on Monday..........

Stacked two coupons and used the .25 overage toward ink cartridges for Hubs, printer.

Then I went to my R-A on Tuesday and got this...........

2 transactions--

First I bought.........

3 x Colgate toothpaste on sale=$10.50

2 x Hot Pockets $2.39 w/20% Wellness disc.=$4.58 *not pictured*

.SubTotal...........$15.08

Coupons Used

3 x $3/1 In-Ad R-AQ=$9.00

1 x $5/3 select Colgate toothpaste L2CQ=$5.00

Coupon Total......$14.00

$15.08-$14.00=$1.08 paid with BC.

I earned $2 in new BC($2 wyb2 select frozen)so a .92¢ moneymaker.

Then on my other card I bought...........

3 x Colgate toothpaste on sale=$10.50

3 x Harvest Snap Snacks $1.43 w/20% Wellness disc.=$4.29 *only 2 pictured*

.SubTotal...........$14.79

Coupons Used

3 x $3/1 In-Ad R-AQ=$9.00

1 x $5/3 select Colgate toothpaste L2CQ=$5.00

Coupon Total......$14.00

$14.79-$14.00=.79¢ paid with BC.

I earned $2 in new BC($2 wyb2 Harvest Snap Snacks)so a $1.21 moneymaker.

* Not that my medical procedure was frugal but the nurse packed me up 2 starter tubes of petroleum jelly for covering the wound, a stack of Telfa type pads(which should last me until the wound is healed enough not to cover it)and 6 big absorbent pads from the office for wound care which will cut down on what I need to spend myself  to buy wound care supplies.   Not much of a win but it's something.

* Recovering from surgery means I sit home(in bed mostly)and can't go out to the grocery store, etc. to  spend money.  I am missing the Dollar General clearance event this weekend to boot. 8-(

That's all I got this week.

What frugal wins did y'all have this week?

Let us know!

Sluggy

It's Over & I am Ok

 A quickie update today.

I had my procedure yesterday and everything went well.  Thanks for all the good thoughts and prayers.  That and a Valium helped me get through it.  More details later(if ya want 'em).

I can't change the bandaging yet(that's tonight)and I am sure I'll be sore/hurting when that happens.

I get to email a photo to the doc in a week.....anybody else want to be on that email list as well to see a picture of the area? 8-) (If you do, you are a sick perv. lol)

The worst part so far is having to wear a bra 24/7, not the pain.    And the fact that my stripper career is over........

Ok, back to bed for me.  Everybody have a swell day!

Sluggy