More Rite-Aid This Week

I am loving the overage the Breathe Right Qs are giving this week.
Here is Thursday's trip to Rite-Aid....

2 x Precise patches on sale $5.00=$10.00
2 x Welch's juice on sale $3.00=$6.00
1 x Herbal Essence 'Poo on sale=$3.00
2 x Breathe Right strips on sale $3.99=$7.98
SubTotal.....$26.98

Coupons
1 x $1 your purchase AdPerks/VV IPQ=$1.00
2 x $5/1 Precise item ManuQ=$10.00
1 x $1/1 Herbal Essence home mailer Q=$1.00(sent with the last free 'poo Q offer on facebook)
2 x Free Item Breathe Right Rite-Aid Q=$11.98(scans at reg. price of $5.99)
Coupon Total....$23.98

$26.98-$23.98=$3.00
I used $2.64 in +Ups and put the remaining .36¢ on my Rite-Aid gift card, so Zero OOP.
I received $3 in +Up Rewards back(1 x $1 Welch's, 2 x $1 Breathe Right).

And I finished using up the expiring +Ups for this week.


I went back up on Friday and saw that the Reach toothbrushes had $2 Peelie Qs on them.  These are the same toothbrushes that I have rainchecks on, for .99¢ each....plus there are $1/1 Reach toothbrush AdPerk/VV IPQs available to print this month.  And I have $1/1 tearpad Qs on these items that the store lets me use WITH any peelie Qs on the same items.  Crazy overage ahead....lol

Between the potential Reach overage and the Breath Right Q overage this week, I decided to try to do the Get $5 +Ups WYB $20 of select Colgate, Palmolive, Irish Spring and Speedstick items Deal.

I also had $10 tracking on the Weekend Warrior Deal(to get $10 +Ups WYB $25)and $17.98 tracking on the Allergy Deal(to get $5+Ups WYB $25).
I used the survey that printed on the previous transaction's receipt to get a $3/$15 purchase Q and here is what I did.....

3 x Precise items on sale $5.00=$15.00
4 x Irish Spring BOGO sale $3.79=$7.58
2 x Palmolive dish soap BOGO sale=$3.39
2 x Ladies Speed Stick Deo BOGO sale=$3.69
2 x Colgate toothpaste BOGO sale=$4.79
2 x Colgate toothbrushes BOGO sale=$3.79
2 x Breath Right strips on sale $3.99=$7.98
3 x Reach toothbrushes raincheck .99¢=$2.97
SubTotal....$49.19

Coupons Used
1 x $3/$15 from survey=$3.00
1 x $1 any purchase AdPerk/VV IPQ=$1.00
3 x $5/1 Precise item IPQ=$15.00
2 x $1/1 Irish Spring 3 bar pack ManuQ=$2.00
1 x $1/2 Palmolive dish soap ManuQ=$1.00
1 x $1/2 SpeedStick Deo ManuQ=$1.00
2 x $1/1 Colgate toothpaste ManuQ=$2.00
1 x $1/2 Colgate any toothbrushes ManuQ=$1.00
2 x Free item Breathe Right strips RA Q=$11.98(scans reg. price automatically)
3 x $1/1 Reach toothbrush Tearpad Q=$3.00
2 x $1/1 Reach toothbrush AdPerk/VV IPQ(May)=$2.00
3 x $2/1 Reach toothbrush Peelie Q=$6.00
Coupon Total....$48.98

$49.19-$48.98=$.21 OOP
I put the .21¢ on my Rite-Aid gift card so Zero OOP.
I received $22 in +Up Rewards back....
*2 x $1 for the Breathe Right strips
*1 x $5 for spending $20 on Colgate/Palmolive/Irish Spring/etc.
*1 x $5 for spending $25 on Allergy products(Breathe Right items)
*1 x $10 for spending $25 on Weekend Warrior items(Precise items)

And I went back later that evening and got this stuff on the BIL's card.....

2 x Glad bags raincheck $2.99=$5.98
1 x Herbal Essence 'Poo on sale=$3.00
2 x Reach toothbrushes raincheck .99¢=$1.98
2 x Breath Right strips on sale $3.99=$7.98
1 x clearanced Easter peeps=$.25
SubTotal....$19.19

Coupons Used
2 x $1/1 Glad bags IPQ=$2.00
1 x $1/1 Herbal Essence 'Poo home mailer=$1.00
1 x $2/2 Reach toothbrushes IPQ=$2.00
1 x $2/1 Reach toothbrush Peelie Q=$2.00
2 x Free item Breathe Right RA Q=$11.98
Coupon Total....$18.98

$19.19-$18.98=.21+.36 tax=$.57 OOP
I put the .57¢ on my Rite-Aid gift card so Zero OOP.
I received $2 in +Up Rewards(2 x $1 Breathe Right strips).

Just in case anyone wants to know, the limit this week on the Breathe Right strips $1 +Ups is 4 per account/card.

And it would be a good thing to get a raincheck on the Breathe Right strips at the sale price this week if you have any of those Free Item Breathe Right Qs left to use in the coming weeks. ;-)


THESE TRIPS
Number of Transactions.....3
Total Spent....$1.14 (put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$187.96
SCR qualified for...$0.00
Other Rebates earned...$0.00
Gift Cards earned....$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$26.00
+Up Rewards spent.....$2.64
+Up Rewards left to spend.....$77.00  And I have $40.54 left on my gift card.


Rite-Aid GRAND TOTALS--MAY Rebate Period so far

Number of Transactions......11
Total Spent....$6.75 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$554.61
SCR qualified for....$12.00
Other Cash....$0.00
Additional Rebates....$0.00
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for May SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 5/6.....$53.64
+Up Rewards spent....$57.52
+Up Rewards earned....$83.52
+Up Rewards left....$77.00  includes ALL +Ups not just ones from this SCR period


Sluggy

'Fess Up.........Who Broke It?

Some Friday the 13th joke, huh? ;-)

Now who done broke blogger?
Fess up!

Here's something to ease y'all into your weekend.....
Enjoy!

Sluggy

Quickie to Rite-Aid.....Rainchecks and Not Using my +Ups

I sort of figured that they would be out of the Precise Pain Patches that are free after the $5 ManuQ by Wednesday afternoon, but I still had to go up to get a raincheck, right?  I did ask and my store will honor that new $5 Precise ManuQ that expires 5/15 if you get a raincheck for the item.  Since the Q is so short lived(only a week!)and it will take at least a week to get more of the item in stock.  It's worth asking your store's manager if they will honor the expired Q in a raincheck situation for this item.

4 x Dove Easter candy 75% off $1.24 each=$4.96
2 x Breathe Right strips on sale $3.99=$7.98
1 x canned Clams on sale=$1.25
SubTotal.....$14.19

Coupons Used
2 x $1/2 Dove candy AdPerk/VV IPQ=$2.00
2 x Free Item Rite-Aid IPQ=$11.98(rings up for $5.99 reg. retail for product)
Coupon Total....$13.98

$14.19-$13.98=$.21 OOP
I put the .21¢ on my Rite-Aid gift card.
I received $2 in +Up Rewards(2 x $1 Breathe Right).

I was going to get either the Hyland's leg cramp med or the StopPain topical pain reliever....they are $6.99 and give a $6 +Up this week.  I heard that there was a Q inside the packages, so I figured I'd open the boxes, take out the Q and use it on that purchase, right?
Well, that was a bust, because the Qs inside the packages are for Calm Forte, not the product in the box.
I hate rolling +Ups where I lose +Ups(in this case $6 rolls and you burn that $.99).  And I don't even have $6 to roll this week anyway....sigh.

As for the transaction I did do, I don't know WHERE my brain was because I had $2.64 in +Ups to use up before Saturday and I didn't manage to use any of them!  I should have figured in $2.64 in additional merchandise in that transaction.
Ugh.

What's happening to me?
Am I losing my Rite-Aid Groove?lol

So I'll be going back to Rite-Aid this week and try to spend those $2.64 in +Ups.
What are the good deals you are getting this week at Rite-Aid?

Sluggy

School Photos or A Comb, My Kingdom for a Comb!

All you parents out there.....
You all know how annoying those school photos can be, right?

It's a production line of kids on Picture Day so the photographers are more concerned with getting all those photos snapped within the never long enough time frame they are given and not how the kids actually look in the photos.
It's quantity over quality, right?

The kids often look uncomfortable....because they ARE!lol
They are forced to pose unnaturally and the smiles are so fake and forced.
Blogging Buddy Mark did a piece on this very same subject yesterday over HERE.

And then the schools here started those Spring photos too.
You know, the set your kid brings home without you even knowing they took more that year!  The school/photography company figure if we give the kids a big fat envelope of photos with their sweet cherubic faces on them, the parents will not be able to resist keeping them and sending us a big fat check in return.
No thanks I say....one set of awkward poses and forced smiles is enough for my checkbook per year.

And I won't even get into the whole lame photography monopoly between the photo businesses and the school boards.

Since Daughter was a senior this year(which is a whole other way to drain your bank account with overpriced graduation photos, announcements and tchotchkes), we only had the one kid left doing the School Photo schtick.
So I filled out the order form for the smallest package they would allow and went up to the blood bank to sell some plasma so I could afford to write a check to send to school to pay for the pictures.lol

A couple of weeks go by and #2 son brings home his Freshman Year school photos.....the photos that we will keep to remember this special time in his life and cherish said photos forever.

And here is what we got for our money.....about 12 copies of this in various sizes......

Was there no adult there with a comb?....or enough sense to tell him to move his hair out of his eyes?
He is a teenager for gosh sakes....his brain is NOT always engaged!

This school feels comfortable reaching into my home and telling me what I can and can't do with my kid yet they can't tell him to get the hair out of his face for a photo?  Ooooh, that would be stepping on his rights.  We may damage his self-esteem!  And we can't have THAT!!
Puhleez......

Sluggy

Decluttering P*rn...the Big Purge of 2011 Begins

Here is the first load of stuff I am letting go of in the Big Purge and Clean-Out of 2011.
Most of this stuff is new merchandise(a few vintage/used/valuable things too but mostly new)I bought to sell on eBay but for some reason or other it just didn't happen.
If anyone sees something they can't live without, give me a holler and maybe we can do some bartering. ;-)

Spock and "Q" Star Trek action figures anyone? I think I have the whole set of 5 or 6 figures in this series but I just haven't located the others yet....maybe they've beamed themselves up somewhere else?

An old kid's book from when my kids were tiny, a bunch of new/unused stuff like Power Rangers folders(Go Go Power Rangers.....Go Go do your math and spelling!) and a couple of Star Wars Posters and Books....

 Elvis has left the building.......sorry, but I couldn't resist saying that.......

More merchandise--a Power Rangers Megazord 3-D wall plaque(scary enough to give any kid nightmares), an Austin Powers adult novelty/gag gift toy(*ahem* don't ask!), a set of collectible Lord of the Rings playing cards, 2 black bear Christmas ornies and a SpongeBob SquarePants Christmas ornie(because obviously nothing says celebrating the birth of Jesus like black bears and cartoon sponge people), a vintage English tinware decorative bowl, a Ty brand Monkey plush, a Power Ranger Galaxy Megazord figure & a Cat in the Hat Dr. Seuss novelty clock(complete with Thing 1 AND Thing 2 no less!).

3 pairs of shoes(2 used/1 pair is new in the box from Christmas-they didn't fit Daughter), a Boyd's bears tapestry wall hanging, 2 Disney store Tiny Kingdom figures, an eyeglass case, a set of Power Ranger cupcake liners, a Lionel brand porcelain Santa Christmas ornie, a change purse, a gold lame evening bag, a vintage beaded/pailletted  evening bag.....

a Hot Wheels Home Improvement Action Set, a Beetleborgs action toy, a set of Scooby-Doo themed hot wheels cars, a miniature Hallmark tractor ornie, 8 sets of Toy Story stickers, 12 Small Soldiers window clings, a Johnny Lightning eBay car, a Precious Moments beanie, a Gargoyles set of stickers and a novelty "Wisconsin Mosquito Trap" bought at a tourist place in Wisconsin on my way home from Minnesota many years ago.....

Assorted used video tapes my kids have outgrown like Veggie Tales, Pee-Wee's Playhouse, Herbie the Love Bug and The Muppets to name a few....

Lastly 2 large garbage bags full of clothes that no longer fit, that my Daughter cleaned out of her drawers.
This was the nice stuff we could send to Sallies.  She filled an additional bag of  'raggy' clothing we'll cut up for rags and such.

After #2 son gets back from his Marching Band trip, I'll be supervising the clean out of his clothes.  I can't wait to get to that, but we'll have to shovel a path from his door to the closet first! ;-)

All this is headed to Salvation Army by the end of this week unless someone gives a shout out that they want something in this batch.

1 load down, more to come.......

Sluggy

Weis Catalina Results from Last Week or How to Destroy Your Food Budget in One Week!

So I did the Purina Catalina Deal 4 times and the Nestle Catalina Deal 4 times last week at Weis Markets, rolling the $8 Nestle Cats and the $10 Purina Cats one into the next.

Grand Total of what I got....

17 lb. Dog Chows....7
Cans of Mighty Dog...60
Cans of Alpo....19
Busy Bone.....1
Taster's Choice instant coffee...4
Coffee-Mate powder....1
Juicy Juice.....4
Nesquick.....12
Nestle Syrup...8

Cost OOP...$123.31 and an $8 Catalina left to use
Reg. Retail Value....$270.75

Not great but a 54.45% savings rate.
A full year's worth of dog food(when supplemented with the fresh veggies/meat I give them also) and a supply of coffee and chocolate milk mix to get the family through the summer or longer.

Add in the non Catalina items I bought last week at Weis Markets and the Restaurant Supply purchases and I've nearly spent my whole month's food budget for May already.
And the month is only one third over.
Geez....

Here's hoping I get some rebate checks in soon to put toward the food budget. 8-)

So how is your food budget going this month?

Sluggy

Shopping and Errand Day Last Week

I did 2 more transactions on Friday of last week at Rite-Aid.

Friday was my big shopping/errands day.  I hit the bank and 6 stores.....driving a looped(or was it LOOPY?LOL)route and hitting each store I wanted to go to along the way.  We did the bank in town, the Rite-Aid downtown, the CVS on the western part of town, then to the Restaurant Supply store further west, to the CVS in the next town over, to the Weis Market in that town, down the block to that town's Rite-Aid, then home.
I know y'all were just dying to each all that details, are you not? ;-)

So here is the 1st Rite-Aid I hit and what I hauled home.....

I found 2 of the cheap, non-battery powered Gillette razors that were on sale for $9.99.  With the 20% Wellness discount these were less than the sale price, at $8.79.  After using the $4/1 ManuQ from the paper and receiving the $5 +Ups for each one, you got them for free + overage.
I got the Oral-B toothbrushes on sale for $2.99 that gave the $2 Ups.  Using the $1.50/1 ManuQ from the paper made these better than free as well.
I didn't find any ProFoot items with Qs inside the package so I could'nt do that deal and I still had +Ups to use up before Saturday.  Not knowing if the other Rite-Aid, I was going to hit later in the day, would have anything this late in the week, I went ahead and bought chips to put away until the Graduation Party next month.  The assorted chips were on sale for $2.50 a bag, so $10 total.  I had IPQs that got you free 2liters of soda WYB a bag of Lay's Kettle Cooked or Sun Chips so the sodas above were free.
I spent $19 +Ups and got $14 +Ups back and paid .16¢ OOP on my free gift card.


Then I hit up CVS for free Ivory soap....

Of course they only had 1 package of the soap on sale for .99¢....sigh.
I got a raincheck to use the remaining 3 coupons I had at a later time, then I succumbed to dirt cheap Easter clearanced malted robin's eggs......
Spent $.99 OOP, saved $3.49 and got a $1 ECB for my winter spending reward(all those Finish dishwasher tabs I bought back in Jan.).


Then it was off to the Restaurant Supply Store.....

I got a 5lb log of Cooper sharp cheese(I "heart" cooper sharp!), a gallon of the best-est blue cheese dressing EVER! and a package of pretzel rolls.  These seem to be IN right now and I see them everywhere now so I picked them up on the spur of the moment.  Not exactly frugal but what the hell.....

I spent $37.80 at the RS store.  Regular retail value was $70.36, for a 46.28% savings rate.

The black boxes in that photo?  Oh, those are from the purchase I made 2 stops later, after going into another CVS looking for .99¢ Ivory soap bars(which they were also out of, rats!).
Then it was off to Weis Markets to run the Purina dog food Catalina Deal again and I received another $10 Catalina Q.
I also picked up those 3 boxes of hamburger patties at Weis.  Each box was 2 lbs. of patties and marked down to $3.99 each from $7.99 each, so $2 a lb. for hamburgers.  These are also for the Graduation party.

Then around the corner from there to this town's Rite-Aid......

I found a ProFoot product with the $1.50/1 Q inside the package and another ProFoot product with a $1/1 PeelieQ on the front.  These paired with the $1/1 IPQ I had printed out.  I had no shame standing in the store and taking a pair of scissors to the package, hacking it up to get that ManQ out to use on my purchase.  I don't care  anymore if anyone stares....lolol

      (My handiwork)

So I did the ProFoot deal(3 for $15, used $3.50 in Qs, got a $2 +Ups back and submit for the ProFoot SCR for $10), for a .50¢ overage.......WINNING! 8-)

I also found some cheap Revlon Tools and a Dove Men's Deo to do those deals on BIL's card.
I spent $17.88 in +Ups and received $13 +Ups back($2 ProFoot, $3 Dove, 2 x $4 Revlon), plus I qualified for a $10 ProFoot SCR(#2).  I put the remaining .87¢ on my free gift card.


Then it was home to put it all away.


THESE TRIPS--Just the Rite-Aid stuff
Number of Transactions.....2
Total Spent....$1.03 (put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$86.94
SCR qualified for...$10.00
Other Rebates earned...$0.00
Gift Cards earned....$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$27.00
+Up Rewards spent.....$36.88
+Up Rewards left to spend.....$53.64 And I have $41.89 left on my gift card.


Rite-Aid GRAND TOTALS--MAY Rebate Period so far

Number of Transactions......8
Total Spent....$5.61 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$366.65
SCR qualified for....$12.00
Other Cash....$0.00
Additional Rebates....$0.00
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for May SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 5/4.....$63.52
+Up Rewards spent....$54.88
+Up Rewards earned....$57.52
+Up Rewards left....$53.64  includes ALL +Ups not just ones from this SCR period


Sluggy

Size Matters on Mother's Day

My Daughter has to "one-up" everyone else.
It's a trait that has served her well at times but other times it has been her downfall.
I just wonder where she gets this from?  
*sluggy whistles absentmindedly while looking at the ceiling*

Anyway here is what greeted me when I finally trudged down the stairs Sunday morning......please excuse the bed hair and "not quite awake" stare on my face.....

And inside was this.....

Yes, Daughter believes that a ridiculously large novelty Mother's Day Card is the way to show that she loves me more than her brothers love me.
Either that or she is trying to butter me up so I don't yank her college $$$ anytime in the next 3 months & throw her ass out in the street now that she's 18, no matter how tempting the thought of that is.
Sending $15K to a school or having my kitchen redone.....hmmmm......it's a hard call some days! ;-)

#1 son sent me a card(a funny card as expected)and actually called ME on Sunday and talked to ME for a record breaking 20 minutes!  This was a huge sacrifice on his part as we both are NOT "telephone magpies" kind of people.

#2 son hid in his room most of the day, thereby avoiding having to interact with me.  I did call him out at one point and told him that today was Mother's Day.  He grunted something(it might have been Happy Mother's Day but my super sonic hearing wasn't turned on for the day, so I can't be sure)and then he disappeared back into his cave room. 

Hubs fixed me breakfast, gave me a card and flowers and went for take-out Chinese for dinner. 

Even more exciting, he also helped me work on decluttering the living/dining room without being asked to or complaining that it was cutting into his sports watching. 
Yes, the man knows the way to my heart. ;-)
I was truly the Queen for the Day here in the Upper Polka Belt of PA on Sunday!

This morning it was back to cleaning up dog shit in the kitchen.....

Sluggy

Happy Mother's Day!

For all you Muthas, "Other Muthas" and Mutha Wannabes out there....
Peace out!

Sluggy

Red Alert, Red Alert!

In just under 3 weeks from now, extended family members will start descending upon my house.

My Daughter will be graduating from high school on June 10th.

Besides the BIL and nephew who live in town, we have 3 more and possibly a 4th family member coming to town for the big event.  Add in that #1 son's girlfriend is also going to be here too.

Hubs sister is staying a week, my Brother and SIL will be here for a shorter time and Hubs brother may also come up for a few days.  Various people will even be staying/sleeping at the house and not at a nearby  motel.
Needless to say I now have a mission.......
A mission to get the house decluttered before then by any means possible and cleaned up as well!

So I am going into dejunking overdrive.



Here's the plan.....

*Go through every box still in the living and dining rooms.
Sort into Donation boxes or Save boxes.
Take donation boxes to Salvation Army.
Take save boxes and put into storage unit.

*Go through every box in the garage.
Sort and donate or put into storage.

*Then start deep cleaning the house.
One room per day gets cleaned until all are finished.

*Then it's clean up the front porch, back deck and yard.

#1 son will be coming home in about 7 days so I'll have him to help me with the heavy lifting part and maybe I can talk him into painting the powder room.  Yah, I'm dreaming on that one!lol


The good thing about getting this all done will be that the living and dining room will FINALLY be cleaned out and I can then proceed to get someone in there to fix the walls and ceiling, paint the rooms, pull up the carpet and install the bamboo flooring.

I've only been trying to fix these rooms up since we moved here going on 11 years ago!
bleh......

So be looking for some extra Salvation Army donation photos coming soon as I begin The Big House Clean-Out of 2011!

Sluggy

Driving Under the Influence of What??

From the Annals of "You Can't Make This Stuff Up"....

I just had to share this with y'all.
I snagged this from my online friend Marsha.  Thanks Marsha!!lol
 
First, look at this mug shot....

Now go read THIS.


She's been dubbed "Pubic Enemy #1".  **snort**

Sluggy

__,_._,She's been dubbed "Pubic Enemy #1".....

Weis Markets & Rite-Aid Redux....Much Less Stressful This Time!

Remember my little trips to Rite-Aid and Weis Markets on Tuesday?

Well I went back on Wednesday to both stores, hoping for some less stressful shopping.

First to Weis where I rolled my Nestle Catalina into dog food.  The Cat Deal on the dog food is spend $35, get $10 Cat Q....

1 x Dog Chow Kibble large bag=$10.99
10 x Alpo cans @3/$2 =$6.67
24 x Mighty Dog cans @ .55¢=$13.20
SubTotal....$30.86  **The reg. shelf price was $35.29**

Coupons Used
1 x $2/1 Purina Dog Chow IPQ from Purina website=$2.00
2 x $2/12 Mighty Dog cans(last Sunday's insert) ManuQ=$4.00
3 x $1/3 Alpo cans Peelie Qs from some of the cans=$3.00
1 x BOGO Alpo cans(last Sunday's insert)=$.79 *
1 x $8 Catalina Q from Nestle deal=$8.00
Coupon Total....$17.79

$30.86-$17.79=$13.07+ $1.86 tax=$14.93 OOP
And I received a $10 Catalina Q.
Without the Cat Q, it's a 67.30% savings.

*I realized after he rang up the Alpo Qs that I should have bought an eleventh can to use that BOGO Q...he had to force that one through.  I didn't figure it out until it was too late to make a scene over it. ;-)  Even though the Alpo cans were on sale for .67¢ each, the Q was coded to automatically take off the reg. shelf price, so that is why .79¢ came off instead.

I had planned to get 36 Mighty Dog and a diff. amount of Alpo cans and use ManuQs from last Sunday's paper, but when I got to the store cans of the Alpo had much better value of Peelie Qs on them so I changed things up to get a lower OOP total.

Then it was onward to Rite-Aid, this time WITH my +Ups.
Ugh.....I'm still sick over that. 8-P

4 x Ragu sauce-raincheck price $1.00=$4.00 *
1 x Dove Men's Deo on sale=$3.99
1 x Gillette Razor on sale=$9.99
1 x Breathe Right w/20% wellness disc.=$4.79
2 x Oral-B toothbrushes on sale $2.99=$5.98
2 x Revlon tweezers on sale 40%off=$3.58
1 x Easter candy=.44¢
1 x cherry candy=.26¢
SubTotal....$32.04

*Total should have been $33.03, but the cashier rang up the 4th Ragu for $.01 instead of $1.00.  I caught this just now on the receipt.  I was wondering why I needed filler items to spend my $13+Ups....lol

Coupons Used
1 x $3/$15 purchase Survey Q=$3.00
2 x $1/2 Ragu IPQ from Hannaford website=$2.00
1 x $1/1 Dove item IPQ from Hannaford website=$1.00
1 x $4/1 Gillette razor ManuQ(last Sunday's P&G insert)=$4.00
1 x Free Breathe Right item Q sent from Rite-Aid=$5.99    (rings reg. shelf price)
2 x $1.50/1 Oral-B Toothbrushes ManuQ(last Sunday's P&G insert)=$3.00
Coupon Total...$18.99

$32.04-$18.99=$13.05 + $.23 tax=$13.28 Total.
I used $13 in +Up Rewards to pay and put the remaining $.28 on my Rite-Aid gift card.
I received $16 in +Ups back($5 Gillette, $4 Revlon wyb 2, $3 Dove, 2 x $2 Crest).


THIS TRIP
Number of Transactions.....1
Total Spent....$.28 (put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$53.40
SCR qualified for...$0.00
Other Rebates earned...$0.00
Gift Cards earned....$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$16.00
+Up Rewards spent.....$13.00
+Up Rewards left to spend.....$63.52 And I have $42.92 left on my gift card.


GRAND TOTALS--MAY Rebate Period so far

Number of Transactions......6
Total Spent....$4.58 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$279.71
SCR qualified for....$0.00
Other Cash....$0.00
Additional Rebates....$0.00
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for May SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 5/3.....$60.52
+Up Rewards spent....$18.00
+Up Rewards earned....$30.52
+Up Rewards left....$63.52  includes ALL +Ups not just ones from this SCR period




I've still got +Ups to roll/spend at Rite-Aid and I want to do a few more Weis Cat deals so I am heading off to the stores again today. 8-)

Sluggy

Happy Mother's Day a bit Early

Here's a cute vid for all you Mother's out there....
Enjoy!

Sluggy

 

Here's the April Salvation Army Donation....Better Late Than Never!

So we finally got the April donation together.
Since he's been out of town, Hubs will be dropping it off later today at Sallie's.
Yes, it's May now, but I'm counting this all as April's booty.
Most of this is stuff I bought(for very cheap)to sell on eBay but because of one reason or another, it never left my house(or more accurately, my storage unit).
I haven't found the time to arrange it all nicely for a photo shoot so it's just random shots of boxes of crap basically.
Enjoy!lol

 That Hallmark collectible(the big blue box)never sold.  The fabric pieces are going too.  The white one has huge bright colored circus animals on it...the fabric is nylon, like underslip or nightgown nylon.  There are 5 yards of it.
Whatever was I thinking when I bought that?

 The candle shaped Christmas lights are from when Hubs and I first set up housekeeping.  They never stayed upright on the Christmas tree....plus they are ugly.lol
There's some more nylon fabric...who buys this stuff besides me?
The trout shower curtain hooks were another momentary lapse in judegement....who does there bathroom in a trout theme?  Well, this IS Pennsyltucky.....
Lastly in that shot are some old unused school folders.  Pokemon or Beetleborgs anyone?lol

 In this shot, among the free toiletries they are sitting on, are some kid's books I won at a Chinese Auction years ago.  Mary Kate and Ashley books.  No wonder no one here ever read them.....
Also a couple of other picture type books and a set of Pokemon cards still in sheets from Burger King.

 Here is some really random stuff.....a Disney beanie, a Batman birthday candle, a Batman Spin Pop thingy, some assorted Happy Meal toys still in the packages and an Aaron Carter book underneath it all.
My daughter was obsessed with Aaron Carter when she was a preteen.  At 18, her taste in men has improved.....I think.

 Here is a shot of 4 vinatge board games I bought at a country auction over 10 years ago.  See what I mean about how I am good at acquiring but not so fast about getting rid of(one way or another)?
1 of these games is older than me!  Like me though, nobody wants this vintage stuff.

 A cat in the hat plush doll still in it's box.  It's suppose to talk when you pull the string...not so much.
3 bobblehead dolls of Kim Possible characters.  It was a Disney cartoon show.  I don't even remember it...I guess my kids didn't watch/like it.  Yes, even they have standards. ;-)  The one good thing about this show is alot of kids finally learned what a Naked Mole Rat is.
There is also a Hot Wheels calendar from 2003....wtf?
A Jimmy Neutron action figure....again with the Disney junk.  And a Star Wars Micro Machines toy I can't give away.....go figure.....

 Sharoooooooon!
#2 son is "into" Ozzy now.  He calls his bass Sharon.lol  He would kill me if he knew I was sending 3 Ozzy Dolls off to Sallies.  Please don't rat me out.

 4 sets of Nesting Dolls.....3 The Muppets themed ones and a set of Cheech & Chong dolls.  Too bad I knew hooked up with a pothead on eBay.....
There are also 2 Johnny Lightning brand cars in this box.  2 cars decorated with an "eBay" theme.  For awhile eBay wouldn't allow you to sell these on eBay.  eBay is schizophrenic like that sometimes.

But here is the best photo......

A collection of 8 Track tapes.
No, these are not mine.
Daughter's old boss from a couple of jobs ago gave them to her.
He was obviously decluttering HIS garage.
So Daughter brought them home to clutter OUR garage.
Some are broken(but could be fixed if you know what you are doing), some are missing labels.
They have sat in the garage for over a year now.
I question my daughter's judgement sometimes.....she brought these home and she doesn't have an 8-track player.
She's had a full year to find one and hasn't found the time or 'umph' to do so....so out these babies go.

I am slowly reclaiming my garage.
How about you?

Sluggy

Sometimes Being an Inattentive Idiot Pays!...and Sometimes it Just Makes You an Idiot

First let me share my 1st trip to Weis Markets this week.
I took advantage of the Nestle Catalina Deal--Buy $30(reg. retail shelf not sale price)in select Nestle products & Get an $8 Catalina Q.
My teens love this stuff but I only buy it when it's part of a Cat Deal or at a great sale price.   This Catalina wasn't a great deal since I had no Qs to bring the cost down even more, but we deal with what we have to work with around here. ;-)

I got.....

1 Instant Coffee(for Hubs)
5 Nesquick Powder Mix
Total Reg. Shelf price was $31.74, the sale prices brought the total for this stuff to $27.94 and garnered me an $8 Cat Q.

I also bought....
3 x Burrito packs on sale for $3 each
2 x FreshExpress Salad on sale BOGO=$3.79 for both
1 x head of Lettuce on sale $1.99
My grand total for all came to $41.72...and I received that $8 Catalina Q.

The Savings was only 21% for this order but with that Cat to roll, the rest of my orders this week should improve in the savings percentage.

So I went back Tuesday evening and that's when I lost my mind and became a shopping idiot.
I picked up....

1 x Taster Choice instant coffee(again, for Hubs)
3 x Nesquick Powder
4 x Nesquick Liquid(turns out the liquid is a better value than the powder-sometimes it pays to actually read a label.lol)
Since I was chatting with the cashier I didn't figure out that I had picked up the WRONG SIZE COFFEE container until after she handed me the receipt.
UGH.
So off to Customer Service I trotted to explain that I bought the wrong coffee thing and my whole transaction got screwed up because of it and I needed it fixed so I could get my $8 Cat.  ;-)

Since they don't have a Catalina machine at the CS register(now THAT is stupid!), they couldn't just rering stuff and produce an $8 Cat instead of the $5 Cat I had gotten buying this stuff the first time.
The teenage CS gal was confused about what to do, so the manager got involved and he was even more confused....he wanted to refund me the cash I paid but NOT for the $8 Cat I had used and then have me rebuy everything(with the lower priced correct coffee item)back at the register....this would have had me pay that $8 again in more cash, cash that he wasn't going to give me back for the Cat.
Now y'all are all confused to, aren't you?

The solution was to return EVERYTHING, give me a refund(+ $8 to reuse in lieu of the Cat I had used that they didn't return)and go rebuy everything at the register.
Sounds like a colossal PITA but doable, right?

Except the CS register wouldn't let me return some items for what I had paid(the sale prices)...it insisted on giving me back reg. retail price on them.
Crazy, huh?
In the end the manager said just give her back the full reg. retail price for everything AND $8 for the $8 Cat I had used to pay.  And they also let me keep the $5 Cat the original transaction had generated.
So I spent $23.12 & an $8 Cat, then I got $34.02 cash back & a $5 Cat. so I gained $7.90-$2.90 cash and $5 in Cat. for doing the return.
I rebought everything(using the $5 free Cat)and paid $21.52 of the $34.02 they gave me back & got Another $8 Cat.
So I am OOP $10.62 for this transaction.
I should have paid $26.52 + $8 Cat for an OOP of $18.52.
Instead I paid $31.12 + $8 Cat for an OOP of $23.12.
Take $2.90 for the extra cash the return gave me from my final OOP and it's $15.62.
Then take the value of the 'free' $5 Cat off of my final OOP and I've spent $10.62 cash for this transaction.

Is everyone still with me here?lol

So I ended up getting a great deal on this transaction all because I was inattentive and picked up the wrong sized container.


But after wards, being an idiot didn't help my trip to Rite-Aid go as well.....

I went to pick up a prescription for #2 son, so I did a little shopping since I was there.

3 x Revlon Emery Boards @ 40% off=$3.03
1 x Revlon Crazy Shine Buffer @ 40% off=$2.09
1 x Breathe Right Strips $5.99 w/wellness discount=$4.79
Subtotal....$9.91

I was going to add a filler item so I could use $10 in +Ups but.....
I forgot to bring my stash of +Ups with me!!!
Double UGH!

And I didn't have time to run home and get them before the store closed.

So I used 1 $1 off any Purchase AdPerks/VV Q and a $5.99/1 R-A Breathe Right Q for a Q total of $6.99.
$9.91-$6.99=$2.92 + $.28 tax=$3.20 OOP
I had to put the whole amount on my free Rite-Aid gift card so Zero OOP.
I so disliked using so much money off my gift card.
It usually takes me a MONTH to go through $3.20 of gift card money.
bleh.

I did receive 2 x $4 +Ups wyb 2 Revlon Tools, so $8 in +Up Rewards.
The nail buffer also qualified for a $2 SCR #34.

I STILL can't believe I left the house without my +Ups......GAAAH!

I also had Hubs pick up 3 newspapers for me on Sunday at Rite-Aid since I was not up to leaving the house that day.  He followed directions well and added a small filler so I could use a $3 +Ups to pay, and put the .62¢ change on my Rite-Aid gift card.
And he KEPT the candy filler for himself!
The nerve of him.....
He was under great pressure to get this right after his trip to Lowe's on Saturday.

I just mention this newspaper acquiring trip since I need to include it in the Rite-Aid tallies below.


THESE TRIPS
Number of Transactions.....2
Total Spent....$3.82 (put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$19.18
SCR qualified for...$2.00
Other Rebates earned...$0.00
Gift Cards earned....$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$8.00
+Up Rewards spent.....$3.00
+Up Rewards left to spend.....$60.52 And I have $43.20 left on my gift card.


GRAND TOTALS--MAY Rebate Period so far

Number of Transactions......5
Total Spent....$4.30 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$226.31
SCR qualified for....$2.00
Other Cash....$0.00
Additional Rebates....$0.00
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for May SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 4/30.....$55.52
+Up Rewards spent....$5.00
+Up Rewards earned....$14.52
+Up Rewards left....$60.52  includes ALL +Ups not just ones from this SCR period

Sluggy

$32K Savings Challenge for 2011.....April Totals

I present to you April of the 2011 $32K Savings Challenge!

I have posted my APRIL End of Month $32K $AVING$ CHALLENGE Totals.
Check out the side bar to your right for the specific numbers.

I have 2 goals really each month.....
The 1st is to actually finish each month in the black and not the red.
The 2nd is to hit the targeted savings amount of $2,666.67.

I have to report that we finished up April in the black!
The extra cash amount we ended the month of April with.......$6500.35.

Income
We had $1823.86 left over from our income after our expenses were deducted.
Add in $62.99 of Rebates applied against the food expenses and the Tax Refund of $4613.50 you have a deposit of $6,500.35 toward the Savings Challenge!

Our monthly target is an average of $2,666.67 to reach our Year End Goal.  We came in well over that amount due to the tax refund mostly.  Since we've been short of our monthly goal for all 3 of the previous months, this month's total sure helps to boost our yearly total so far!

Outgo
As for the expenses in April....

HERE are the GOOD THINGS
*The credit card bill was just over $600.
*The electric bill went down another $73.
*We ONLY spent $244 on car repairs/maintenance.  Unfortunately, this amount is great for us. ugh
*Dr. and test copays were only $13.83 this month.

HERE are the BAD THINGS
*Hubs took out way more WAM than normal this month.
*The real estate taxes were due this month(municipal and county).
*We had a vet visit for the beagle with the bad back.  She cost $77 for that one visit.
*We had a dental payment of $82.

Mostly the cash withdrawals and the annual taxes paid this month were the worst "bad things".


The Food Budget costs for April are in another post, which is located HERE.  The actual Food/Toiletries spending in April was more than $140 under budget.

What's ahead for May.......
Unless something comes up(and doesn't it always seem to!lol), it's just the usual suspects this month--electric, water, phone, cable, food, prescriptions, dr. visits, etc.
We do have the yearly dogs' vet visit this month but it shouldn't be as bad as it has been in the past because we are down to 2 dogs now and we kept them on heartworm meds all year so there won't be any re-testing fees for that this year.

So If I can keep the food spending on budget(in the face of having all 3 teens home in May), we should be able to put away a good sized amount into savings this month.

YEAR-TO-DATE TOTAL.....
With 4 months behind us, our Savings total to-date for 2011 is $11,636.88.
We finally are ahead of schedule with the Savings goal for the year!
Before April's addition we were running about half of what we need to save to this point, to meet our goal for the year.

And if you need to start putting money into savings......What's that you say?  You don't have an emergency fund of 6-8 months worth of expenses!!??....consider playing along in 2011 with me and Challenging Yourself to Save Money each Month Toward a Realistic for YOU Savings Goal!
Not everyone can shoot for $32K, I fully get that!
But everyone can shoot for some number, right!?

Find a money goal that works for you and put that number out there for everyone to see.  It will help keep you accountable to your goal if other eyes are on you.
Ooo, that sounded kind of creepy didn't it? ;-)

So how was your April financially?  Leave a comment and share with us what you did with your money, both the good and not-so good.   Do you have any tricks or tips that help you to end your month before the money runs out?    Let us know!
If you posted your financial progress on your own blog, leave a link in the comments so we can go check you out too!

Sluggy

Meal Plan, Smeal Plan....Sometimes You Have to Abandon What You Do in the Short Term

I haven't been posting meal plans lately because well, my plans have been concocted on a daily basis.
Mostly they have been daily "what can we throw together today" plans, not weekly well thought-out plans.
Yeah, I could post a weekly plan but it would look something like....

Sunday--meat TBA, veg TBA, carb TBA
Monday--meat TBA, veg TBA, carb TBA
Tuesday--carb sub for meat TBA, veg TBA

You see what I mean?lol

Since I've been trying to eat down what is here already, here's how I've been creating my meals.
I'm not scouring the grocery ads and planning meals and buying specific foods.

I've gone to the freezer each morning and dug out a hunk of animal protein I already have here.  Then I figure out what treatment to give it(roast, grill, saute, etc.), what sauce it needs(if any from the stockpiled items), and then I pop my head back into the freezer around noon and find a veggie to go with the hunk of protein du jour, either as a side dish or to throw into a casserole treatment.  I'll head into the stockpile about an hour before dinner time and grab a carb item(rice, taters, rolls, pasta, etc.).
And Voila!.....it's dinner.
I guess I've been operating in 1950's housewife mode because this is what she must have done each day.
And if she didn't have a hunk of something frozen(and since freezers were sketchy things back then and not temperature reliable she probably didn't keep much frozen on hand), she went to the store to pick up something fresh every day or so.

If I lack something I have Hubs stop on the way home and pick it up but mostly I try to make-do with what is here.
Not very creative or labor intensive but it's sort of homemade and it's frugal.
At least it isn't fast food or tv dinners.lol

This have been working on many levels for us lately.
Hubs has been getting home at different times each evening.
#2 son has had various Band rehearsals so he's been home at irregular hours and not on solid food for the next few days after his Orthodontic visit.
Daughter often doesn't eat here and I never know from one day to the next or even 3 hours ahead if she will be dining at Chez Sluggy or not.
So doing a pre-set weekly plan hasn't been a good fit for us this past month.

So this 1st week in May, the Meal Plan is going to so something like this....

Sunday....leftovers DONE
Monday....Teriyaki Barbecue chicken thighs, mac and cheese, brussel sprouts DONE
Tuesday....whatever I feel like eating(no one else will be eating here this evening but me)
Wednesday.....another last minute meal thrown together from what is on hand and/or leftovers(possibly 2 eating home this evening, but most likely just me again)
Thursday....Ravioli, Tossed Salad
Friday....leftovers or Soup & Sandwich
Saturday....Burritos and Chili

Next month, after #1 son(who is on a strange eating schedule as well)gets home from college, I think I am going to go with a weekly plan where I will cook large meals 2 or 3 days of the week only.  This will give us a dinner for that day plus I'll cook extra so we can eat off of the leftovers for a day or even two more. 
For example, a large pot of chili, which can last for 3 dinners or more......a large pot of Pork Ragu which can see us through 3-4 meals.......a large pan of Chicken Enchiladas which can stretch out to 2-3 meals...these would be good choices and keep me out of the kitchen for long stretches. 8-))

Ok, this has turned into a rambling stream of half ideas with no point to it all so I'll stop now.

The point to take away from this is that you shouldn't come looking for Meal Plans here anytime soon.
If you can find a better more frugal point to this please let me know! ;-)

Sluggy

April Budget Results.....Food & Toiletries Spending

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for APRIL 2011.

I have posted April's totals on the right side bar under Total Grocery Savings for 2011 and updated the Yearly Totals.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in April.  If you aren't interested in that much detail, just skip to the bottom for the Totals Summary.

My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Pet Supplies, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable.We are a family of 5(4 at home this month)& 2 dogs. No kids under 15.
******************

BIG LOTS
OOP  $4.20
Value  $5.38
Savings  22%


BREAD OUTLET
OOP  $20.45
Value  $74.02
Savings  72.37%

CARONE'S(small local independent store)
OOP  $4.51

Qs/Ads  $.48
Value  $4.99
Savings  9.62%

DOLLAR TREE
OOP  $10.69
Value  $20.52
Savings  48%

RITE AID
OOP  $6.77 (whole amount put on free Rite-Aid Gift Cards)=$.00 actual OOP
Qs/Ads/+Ups  $770.79
Value  $822.27
Savings  99.17% before gift cards/ 100% savings after free gift cards

SAFEWAY
OOP  $1.49($25 put on free gift card
Qs/Ads/gift card  $13.92
Value  $40.41
Savings  96.31%

WEIS (local chain Grocery store that doesn't take IP Qs in my town/doubles up to $1 total)
OOP  $61.09
Qs/Ads  $52.31
Value  $113.40
Savings   46.13%

I don't track Rite-Aid's +Ups here, nor CVS's ECBs & Walgreen's RRs. They will be included when used on purchases under "Coupons".   I'll keep track of what rebates are received monthly.  Rebate money/gift cards will be considered 'income' & will go into the Food/Toiletries budget, offsetting the Out of Pocket. Cash will go immediately into the Budget kitty, while Gift Cards will be calculated in when spent.

REBATE CHECKS RECEIVED IN APRIL

Pinecone Research....$6.00
Rite-Aid SCR...$56.99
Subtotal........$62.99

GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES

Subtotal....$0.00

TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received...$62.99

COUPONS and FREEBIES

Ocean Spray.....sample and $1 Q

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were from Rite-Aid at 100%,  Safeway at 96.31% and the Bread Outlet at 72.37%.  I shopped at 7 stores in April.


TOTAL Out of Pocket...............................$102.43
TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$978.56
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1080.99 with Rite-Aid figured in
TOTAL Savings of...................................90.52%

TOTAL of CASH Rebates........................$62.99

TOTAL Out of Pocket After Rebates........$39.44
TOTAL Savings including Rebates...........$1041.55
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1080.99
TOTAL Savings After Rebates...................96.35%

Since my Rite-Aid shopping(which contains No OOP)always skews my savings percentages, I like to figure my Totals without the Rite-Aid numbers also.
TOTAL OOP after Rebates.....$39.44
TOTAL Value of Items Purchases(w/out Rite-Aid items)....$258.72
TOTAL Savings After Rebates(w/out Rite-Aid items).....84.75%

This closes out the April spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month-
We ate down the freezer/stockpile again this month.  Add in that there were few stocking up opportunities(aka great deals)so I stayed out of the food stores most of the month and thus didn't spend alot of the $250 food budget.  3 out of the 4 months in 2011 so far have come in well under that budgeted amount.
I could probably do another under $100 in food spending month in May since we still have enough veg and meat left in the freezer to only have to buy milk, fresh produce and a few items we run out of this month.

What's ahead for May.....
Since #1 son(aka the Eating Machine) will be home this month, I suspect I'll be sending more than $40 on food this month.  I also plan to get some bulk items at the restaurant supply store and take advantage of a 2 Catalina Deals this week at Weis(coffee/choc. milk mix and pet food).
I plan on spending all $250 of my food budget this month.

We also will be having a family Graduation Party in early June, so I plan on picking up some things ahead of time for that in the coming weeks.  Sort of spreading out the expenses for that over 2 months instead of spending it all in June.
This means I may go over my budget this month.
But I figure, since I've averaged only $130 per month each month in food spending in 2011 so far(I give myself $250 per month for food), I have $480 +/- in the budget money I've earmarked for food for the last 4 months but haven't spent yet.  That means I've only spent barely half of what is budgeted for food for the last 4 months!
I figure I've got some 'wiggle room' when it comes to spending on food next month.

How did you do in April with your Food Budget?
What are your challenges for May?
Please leave a comment or link to your post and let us hear about your progress!  By sharing our struggles and efforts we can help each other stick to our budgets and learn to be better guardians of our resources.


Sluggy

End of April Rite-Aid Trips...Playing Catch Up

More shopping from the end of last week below.
Boring stuff.
Feel free to skip it and move along. 8-)
This is the only shopping I have to report in with since I didn't go to the grocery store AT ALL last week.

This past weekend, I ended up with 2 $20 GOS Certificates from last Decemeber to use(mine and BIL's)by Saturday, the day they expired.
Here is what I got with mine.....no nit picky details since these deals are past......

The good things I did were to combine some Herbal Essences Shampoo Free item Qs with a BOGO Q that was expiring on Saturday to get 3 bottles of  'Poo abso-freaking-lutely free. I also paired rainchecks for Mortin PM(and used expiring Sat. Qs), Toothpaste and Toothbrushes to get all that free as well.
The rainchecks for Glad bags and Coffee made those items very inexpensive.   The Veet was free plus overage and the Easter candy was 50% off.
Though it pains the 'green' in me to buy it, the plastic wrap was my love gift to Hubs....lol

And I stocked up on Saline Spray at .99¢ instead of the regular retail of $5.99......$5.99 really?!?....for salt water?!?!  Puhleez Rite-Aid!
After using the $20 Gift of Savings Certificate, I put the .04¢ left to pay on my free gift card.

I got over $161 in products with this Certificate so that pleased me. ;-)

And here is what I got with BIL's certificate.....

4 bottles of 100% juice for Daughter
2 cans of hash for #2 son
1 pack of TP and even at this sale price it was waaaay over priced!
1 more bottle of saline spray...no way I am being caught without some and have to pay $5.99!
1 flat of bottled water--which I HATE paying for but I have to keep some on hand in the summer
2 candy bars for the $1.76 in +Ups they gave(free after the +Ups)
All this cost me .42¢ on my gift card after using his $20 Certificate.

Unfortunately I didn't plan these trips all that well.  I had wanted to grab a bunch of TP for my stash but nothing was on sale for cheap and had Qs I could use this last week.  I should have bought the TP & used this Certificate in an earlier week....oh well!
But I did manage to get a bunch of things we need or will be needing shortly.

And then I realized I didn't buy the free after +Ups candy bars with my card, so I bought 2 bars and a single Reese's Easter egg so I could get over $2 to use my last $2+Ups that was expiring.  I put the .02¢ leftover on my gift card. 
(Those 3 little candies off to the side on the right in the last photo made up that last transaction.)

Even though these trips were in April, they are during the May SCR Period, so here is the beginning of the May tallies.


THESE TRIPS
Number of Transactions.....3
Total Spent....$.48 (put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$207.13
SCR qualified for...$0.00
Other Rebates earned...$0.00
Gift Cards earned....$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$6.52
+Up Rewards spent....$2.00
+Up Rewards left to spend.....$55.52 And I have $47.50 left on my gift card.


GRAND TOTALS--MAY Rebate Period so far

Number of Transactions......3
Total Spent....$.48 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$207.13
SCR qualified for....$0.00
Other Cash....$0.00
Additional Rebates....$0.00
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for May SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 4/23.....$51.00
+Up Rewards spent....$2.00
+Up Rewards earned....$6.52
+Up Rewards left....$55.52  includes ALL +Ups not just ones from this SCR period

So what did y'all buy last week at Rite-Aid?
Did y'all wait until the end to use your Gift of Savings Gift Certificate too?

Sluggy

April SCR Period Rite-Aid Totals....Free Stuff Feels Great!

Here are the particulars from my last trip to Rite-Aid(on 4/23) during the April SCR Period.
No photo but I bought 3 12-packs of Pepsi products(which gave $3+Ups), a Little Noses saline spray(which gave $3+Ups and a $1 SCR) and 4 candy bars.

THIS TRIP
Number of Transactions.....1
Total Spent....$.85 (put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$23.76
SCR qualified for...$1.00
Other Rebates earned...$0.00
Gift Cards earned....$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$6.00
+Up Rewards spent....$13.00
+Up Rewards left to spend.....$51.00
And I have $47.50 left on my gift card.

And here are my Final Numbers for the April Single Check Rebate Period.....

GRAND TOTALS--April Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......16
Total Spent....$6.99 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$704.86
SCR qualified for....$59.91
Other Cash....$0.00
Additional Rebates....$0.00
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for April SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 4/20.....$58.00
+Up Rewards spent....$161.96
+Up Rewards earned....$99.96
+Up Rewards left....$51.00  includes ALL +Ups not just ones from this SCR period

I used $6.99 of my free Rite-Aid gift card and got over $700 worth of products.
I'll also receive just shy of $60 back in cash rebates for buying these items.
I also have $51 in +Up Rewards left to spend in the coming weeks.


Not bad, huh? 8-))

Sluggy

I'm an Island of Frugal in a Spendthrift Family

I swear, every time I turn around, I just can't win.
I try to be frugal.
Sometimes to the point of being ridiculously frugal....or so my family tells me.

But they sure don't help me want to loosen up on the frugality measures, when every time I turn around, they are being spendthrifts.
Or just not doing what I ask them....to carry out the small frugal measures I ask of them.

Like Hubs for instance.
He was going to Lowe's this morning for gardening supplies.....manure, seeds, plants, etc.
I had a $10 off $50 purchase card which expires today.
I gave him my list and the card with instructions to spend enough to use the discount.
Pretty simple, right?

So he comes back with most of the things on my list and hands me the receipt.
He spent $43.49 BEFORE tax....$46.10 after sales tax.
So he spent just under enough to get a $10 discount.

What part of spend OVER $50 and use the $10 discount did he NOT understand???!!!
So he gave up $10 in FREE gardening supplies.......
Unreal.

He is looking at me like, "Hey!...It's no big deal."
And he walks away....

I on the other hand just want to SCREAM & SMACK HIM!

This is what he does.....he throws away money.
He throws shit out that's perfectly useful and buys new.
He doesn't take advantage of deals and discounts.
It's "not HIS way" he says.....
He feels that since he makes a good income, he can afford to waste money.
This is the guy who was writing checks for cups of coffee while in college....lol
And the kids know how he is, so they never ask me for things.  They go to him because he will buy stuff he knows I wouldn't approve of and he will just buy at full retail too! argh

I keep telling him when his income goes away and we retire, he won't have the luxury of being a spendthrift.
I keep reminding him that if he had been more aware of wasting money throughout our marriage until this point that he could have retired at 50 like he wanted to.


This trait of his drives me insane!
I get so discouraged sometimes.....

Is your partner on board with your frugal ways or are you fighting their spending like a salmon swimming upstream too?

Sluggy

The End of Year Season has Begun! & a Bit of Bad News and Good News

Before you think my cheese has totally slipped off it's cracker, I am NOT referring to the End of the Calendar Year Season, but the End of the School Year Season.

If you have kids in school, whether Pre-School, Elementary, Jr. High, High School or College, the Month of May through June is a very busy time of year!
As various school programs and extra-curricular programs come to an end and summer plans begin, total mayhem takes over the parental life.

For example, here is what is coming up in my kids' lives in the next 8 weeks....

*High School Concert and Jazz Band Concert  Completed last night
*Senior Prom
*Final College Exams
*High School Marching Band Banquet
*High School Marching  Band Disney Trip
*Finishing Young Scholars College Classes(Dual Enrollment Seniors)
*French Honor Society Ceremony
*Graduation Practices
*Honor Society Ceremony
*Final Exams
*Senior Awards Night
*Graduation
*Senior Lock-In Party
*Packing 2 off to Summer Camp employment
*College Orientation
*Packing 1 off to Summer Camp

Add in bringing 1 kid home from college, taking him out for staff training for the summer job, having him come home for his sister's graduation, hosting a house full of relatives for said graduation, trying to clean and fix up house before said relatives descend on house for graduation, running around to get stuff kids need to go to summer camp(either to work or as a camper).
Throw in doctor appointments, dentist appointments, orthodontist appointments, eye doctor appointments and refilling medications.

I'll get time around June 20th to sit down and breath again I am figuring.....lolol

Most of this craziness stems from #2 Son being in the band and Daughter being a senior in high school.
I suspect it won't be nearly as hectic next year when I have just the lone Sophomore in high school.
One kid left at home fulltime....
Wow!
I can't wait!!!

Mostly that's due to the fact that my Daughter is alot of work.
You mom's out there with both sons and daughter....do you find that the girls are just so much more exhausting?
Or is it just me.....and my girl?
Please tell me it's NOT just me!lol

Besides the High School Concert last night, we also got 2 pieces of news from the University Daughter is going to be attending.
First the bad news.....
Due to the proposed state budget for PA, the state colleges here are having their funding slashed, BIGTIME.
Daughter got a letter with the estimated updated costs to attend(since the state budget doesn't even get voted on until June sometime, we won't know the final costs until then).  Instead of the usual 8% rise in attendance costs, it's looking more like 18%!
More than DOUBLE the usual rate.
Suddenly the one school that Daughter wouldn't have to go into debt to attend is going to leave her with a small pile of debt when she is finished there.
At least she got that small Board of Governors Merit Scholarship for all 4 years of her undergraduate schooling, so if she can save some summer job money, she might squeak out with a teeny tiny pile of debt to pay back.

Now the good news.....
Daughter heard back from that pre-med program at the school and she was granted one of the five guaranteed seats at the Medical School after she obtains her 4 year degree at the college!
This means if she keeps her grades up through college and after she gets her B.S., she is automatically accepted into the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. 
I just think that is awesome! 8-))

So are you running the End of School Year gauntlet too?

Sluggy