A Surprise in the Mail from DOVE

Did anyone else here get this in the mail lately?

Thursday I went to the mailbox and found a small package from Dove. Inside was this plastic box with a full sized Dove Deodorant & an advertising pamphlet about this new product. It's suppose to "minimize the visual appearance of hair over time". Something different for your underarms in a pretty smelling Wild Rose Scent. I'm not sure about the minimizing the stubble thing but I like the scent alot.

Anyway, there are 25 smaller pamphlets in the box with 2 $2 off Coupons in each pamphlet for you to share with your friends.

I'm thrilled to have gotten this product and will try it. The Coupons are a nice bonus, especially if I like the new deodorant.

I am not so thrilled about the plastic packaging case it came in, which is NOT recyclable, as far as I can tell. Ugh!

Dove has set up a special Facebook page for this new product launch Here.

Check it out!

I'll let ya'll know what I think about the new Deodorant once I've used it a few days.

And if you're looking, people at Unilever/Dove.....change the plastic packaging thing! Not cool....

Sluggy

60K SAVING$ CHALLENGE-APRIL Update

I have posted my April End of Month 60K $AVING$ CHALLENGE Totals.

I am once again able to say that we finished up April in THE BLACK!
Yesssss!

The MasterCard bill(which is paid off each month-NO BALANCE EVER!)was just over the $1K mark(Feb. it was over $2.3K) in April, under $100 more than the previous month.

We had a bit of rolled coins as usual, but you will notice there is NO eBay income again for April. I have just been so busy with the kids and other things in April PLUS the selling prices on eBay have been abyssmal so I just didn't bother trying to sell there. I did close my eBay store for now, so at least I wasn't spending money on that. I do have to continue to pay the auction management fee however, or lose all my photo & listing storage. It is worth the $10/mo. NOT to have to reload all that data back into my file storage and then reload it onto the management site when I do go back to selling. Trust me....it's alot of work and would waste too much of my time. I'd rather pay the $10 for it to sit there.

Out of the ordinary expenses for April were low....A small State Income Tax bill due & a deposit for #1 son's upcoming College enrollment. I pay the private Garbage collection bill quarterly so it was paid this month as well.

We saw a reduction in the cost of the electric bill, while the water bill held steady. In May, we'll be able to turn off the heat totally, so that will help bring the electric bill down some more. The gasoline/fuel bills are lower thanks to a small reduction in cost at the pump and I've been consolidating trips out to save gas.

On the other hand, I anticipate a large VET BILL in May as the doggies are due for their yearly check-up/tests. Not only are kids expensive, but pets are also!

I'm still spending too much on the food/household budget. Well, we do have the money for it, but I had hoped to lower how much I spend in this category. I'll be updating the Food Budget costs for April in another post-which is located Here.

Four Months into this Challenge, & so far we have a Savings Total of $9150.44 for the year.

Hubby's car is starting to show it's age, so this money will come in handy next year, as we'll probably need to replace his vehicle then.
It's so nice to be able to sleep at night, not worrying about not having Money in the Bank to cover the costs of things we want or need to do/buy.

Now is the PERFECT time to start saving money if you aren't already. Get started today!
If you don't know where or how to start, email me. I'd be happy to give some advice or pointers on how to start putting money away.

Check out Money Saving Mom's Blog April Financial Update Post to see how others are saving money and living more frugally Here.

Sluggy

It's all about the Walgreens, Baby!

Last Sunday, Hubby & I took a little road trip out of Teeny Tiny Town to a nearby larger metropolitan area.

This area just happens to be lousy with Walgreen's Stores.

Imagine that?!

I had an envelope of coupons just crying out to be used, Walgreens had some good deals this week and the weather was great.

We had all the makings for a Walgreen's Hounding Day!

Hubby had to return #1 son's tux from the Prom to the store at noon, so I went off and hit my local Walgreen's first thing.

I knew what I wanted.....I went right to the Pharmacy counter and saw that someone had already come and bought ALL the glucose meters that were giving the $5RR.
Dang!

So I went and bought a box of Ecotrin, $2.00. Used a $1/1Q, paid $1.00 and got a $2RR & a MQ for $2.00 off a larger box of Ecotrin.

Then I bought a box of Bayer crystals, $2.49. Used the Ecotrin $2RR and paid $.49 and got a $2.50RR.

I went off in search of the Nivea Body Wash, grumbling about the son-of-a-gun who cleaned out the store of Meters....grrrr.

As I rounded a corner up by the auxillary checkout register I happened to look up. Sitting on top of a bin of merchandise, sat a large cardboard display for the Bayer Glucose Meters. And inside the display was.........a Glucose Meter!

Someone had propped that display up there and put a couple of meters in it. Whoever cleaned the Pharmacy out of meters didn't find or look for meters in the rest of the store. Yay!lol

I bought the Nivea Wash & a Meter, using a $1/1Q & the Meter Q which made the meter free. Total for that receipt was $4.29OOP(for the Body Wash). I received 2 $5RRs.

Went looking for the Rembrandt-boy that stuff is expen$ive!lol

Got the Rembrandt Mouthwash & another Meter. Used the Bayer Q and the $5RR from the Nivea. Total OOP was $1.35. Got a $5 & $6RRs.

Went back for another Meter. Zero OOP and got another $5RR.

Next was a box of Ecotrin, Bayer Crystals & 3 Bottles of Suave(on sale 3/$5).

Used $1/1Bayer Q, $1.75/3 Suave Q and paid with the $6RR from the Rembrandt. Total OOP $1.04.

One last round of more Nivea Body Wash, large bottle of Ecotrin on clearance($2.19)& some Cough Drops($1.79). Used $5meter RR, Ecotrin $2Q I got earlier & a Nivea $1/1Q I finally found in my envelope. Total OOP was $1.27. Got a $5RR.

Then I went home to get Hubby and we headed out to the Big City to search for more Meters. I had put together 20+ Bayer Meter Qs over the last 2 weeks that needed using. Over the course of the day, and in many MANY stores, we found tons of Meters. I made a point though to only buy only 1 or up to 3 in any store, depending on how many were on the shelves. I know how bummed I was earlier that morning to find my usual store cleaned out of Meters. I didn't want to cause others after me to have the same bad experience. Besides, the Meter $5RR is a month long deal. No need to get greedy and scoop them all up the 1st day/the 1st store.

So the 1st store, we both got a meter....I also got a box of Ecotrin & used a Mitchum $2RR from last week, so no OOP. Got 2 $5RRs & a $2RR.

Then I bought a Bayer Crystals, used the $2RR Ecotrin to pay, $.49 OOP. Got a $2.50RR.

Next store, got a Meter, Nivea Body Wash & more Cough Drops. Used Meter Q, Nivea $1/1Q, paid with a $5RR(an older one, not a Nivea or Meter one) & $1.08 OOP. Got 2 $5RRs.

Hubby bought a Meter & Ecotrin. Used Meter Q & Ecotrin $1/1Q. Paid $1.00 OOP. Got $5RR & $2RR.

Next store, got a Meter, Nivea Body Wash & a newspaper($1.75). Used Meter Q & another older $5RR that needed rolling+$2.04 OOP. Got 2 $5RRs.

Another Meter & Ecotrin, used Qs, got a $5RR & $2RR + $2 Man.Q for larger Ecotrin box, paid $1.00 OOP.

New store....Meter & larger Ecotrin on clearance($2.19), used Meter Q & $2MQ, paid $.19 OOP. Got $5RR.

Another Meter, Bayer Aspirin on clearance for $1.69 & Rembrandt Toothpaste. Used Meter Q, Bayer $2Q, paid with $5NiveaRR and $.68 OOP. Got a $6RR & $5RR.

Another Meter, Zero OOP, got a $5RR.

New store, another Meter, Zero OOP, got a $5RR.

Purchased a Nivea Body Wash & 2 Viactiv Glides on clearance($4.59). Used 2 $2/1Q & a $5Meter RR, paid $5.47 cash. I screwed this one up paying so much OOP. I should have gotten some filler items so I could have used a couple $2EcotrinRRs. I'll blame Hubby rushing me out of the store to go eat.lol

New store, a Meter, Bayer Aspirin(Heart Advantage on clearance-$3.19), more Viactiv Glides on clearance-$4.59) & a newspaper. Used Meter Q, $2Bayer Q, $5NiveaRR, $2EcotrinRR. OOP was $.53 Got $5RR.

Another Meter, Zero OOP, got $5RR.

Rinse & Repeat. This store had tons of Meters. I could have stayed at this one and just used all my coupons....but I restrained myself.lol

New store, rinse & repeat on the Meter deal.

Then I bought a Bayer Crystals, 2 Bic Soleil cartridges on clearance($1.79) & a pack of 4 boxes of Envelopes(for mailing rebates)-$2.50. Used a $5RR(can't remember if it was a Meter or a Nivea RR) & a $2/1Bic Soleil Q. Paid $1.93 OOP. Got a $2.50RR.

Grand total spend OOP-$23.85

Value of Items-$1334.15

Value of Items minus the Meters-$408.15

Coupons/RRs & advertised Savings-$1310.30

Coupons/RRs & advertised Savings minus Meters-$384.30

Savings of 94%

RRs Earned-$144

RRs Spent-$56($6RR carried forward from last week)

RRs Left-$94

Pictured above are the items we bought, besides the Meters. There's a bag of cough drops missing(it never made it home for the photo lol)and both Sunday newspapers.

Speaking of newspapers, I did find out that this larger city gets better coupon inserts than in Teeny Tiny Town! I should have picked up more than 2 papers.

Oh well....

So how did your Wags Week go?

Sluggy

Watch me Build a SCR for May at Rite Aid

I thought I'd do a series of posts on How to go about shopping to build up a good sized SINGLE CHECK REBATE check from Rite Aid. Watch me as I buy things using coupons. Not only with I get these things cheaper but Rite-Aid will send me a check when the month is over to reimburse me for most of the money I spent to buy them.

My 1st Transaction is this....

1 Skintimate Shaving Cream-on sale this week for $2.99 Used a $1/1 Q from last Sunday's paper
2 Listerine Mouthwash-on sale this week for $4.00 ea. Used the $4 off Rite-Aid Q from the sales flyer AND 2 $1/1 Qs from last Sunday's paper
1 Salt-Aire Nasal Wash-on sale this week for $6.99
1 Mini Drops eye drops-on sale this week for $6.49
1 Cup O Noodles for $.69

Used 3 $1/1 Qs(1 for Shave Cream, 2 for Listerine), $4 off Rite Aid Q and 1 $5/$25 purchase Q from Rite Aid website.

Subtotal of merchandise-$25.16

Coupons used-$12.00

Tax-$.24
Total Out of Pocket-$13.40
Do you see why I bought that Cup O Noodles? To get my total over $25, so I could use the $5 off coupon! It's called 'filler'(a cheap item to raise your total spent so you can use a coupon).

These are the following items I bought in this transaction that I can now file for Rite-Aid Rebates at the end of May.....

Skintimate $2.24 Offer #96
Salt-Aire $6.99(full price I paid) Offer #33
Mini Drops $6.49(full price I paid) Offer #30
Listerine Whitening $2.00 Offer #121

So I spent $13.40 and I'll get back at this point, $17.72.

Both Bottles of Listerine are also part of a Johnson&Johnson Rebate running the month of May at Rite Aid-Offer #50. Depending on how much you spend, you'll be from $5 to $10 back on your SCR. So I have $8 toward that rebate deal now too.

Here's the 2nd Transaction.....

1 Benadryl Allergy-on sale this week for $5.99 Used a $1.50/1 Q
2 Johnson's Baby Shampoo-on sale this week for $3.00 =$6.00 Used 2x $2/1 Johnson's Qs from a couple of Sunday's ago
2 Excellence-to-Go Hair Coloring-on sale this week for $7.50=$15.00 Used 2 $3/1 Qs from last month's newspaper AND a $5 off 2 Rite-Aid sales flyer Q

Used 2 $2/1=$4 Qs, $1.50/1 Q, 2 $3/1=$6 Qs, $5 off Rite Aid Q and 1 $5/$25 purchase Q from Rite Aid website.
Subtotal of merchandise-$26.99
Coupons used-$21.50
Tax-$.36
Total Out of Pocket-$5.85

I didn't need a filler this time, as the items brought my total over $25 so I could use the $5/25 Q.

The Johnson's Baby Shampoo & the Benadryl Allergy are also part of a Johnson&Johnson Rebate running the month of May at Rite Aid(Offer #50), like the Listerine I bought last time was. **I now have $19.99 toward this rebate deal. I am .01¢ away from qualifying for the $8 level, having achieved the $5 level already.

The Benadryl Allergy ALSO qualifies for another Rebate at Rite-Aid this month, for a Rite-Aid Gift Card. You much purchase between $20 & $50 worth of products to receive between a $5 and $25 Gift Card. It's offer #500 in the monthly booklet. I now have $5.99 toward Offer #500.

Onward to Transaction #3....

1 Johnson's Baby Shampoo-on sale this week for $3.00 Used a $2/1 Q
1 Claritin-on sale this week for $18.99 Used a $5/1 Q
1 Viactiv Glides-on clearance for $4.49 Used a $2/1 Q

Used 2 $2/1 Qs, $5/1 Q and 1 $5/$25 purchase Q from Rite Aid website.

Subtotal of merchandise-$26.48
Coupons used-$14.00
Tax-$.06
Total Out of Pocket-$12.54

Add the Johnson's purchase to the Johnson & Johnson Offer, so I am up to $22.99 spent on that deal. $2.01 more and I qualify for $10 back-the highest amount you can get back.

Add the Claritin to Offer #500 and I've spent $24.98 toward that deal, which qualifies me for the $5 level.

The Claritin also qualifies for it's own Offer-#48. I'll get $3 back for the Claritin purchase alone.

So to recap so far......

I've qualified for--$2.24 Skintimate, $6.99 Salt-Aire, $6.49 Mini Drops, $2 Listerine Whitening, $3 Claritin, $8 on Offer #50, $5 on Offer #500=$33.72 in Rebates.

And I've spent $31.79.

All this stuff I bought so far-all $78.63 of it(not including tax)-basically has cost me NEGATIVE $1.93. I get all this and the store will pay me back ALL my out of pocket PLUS another $1.93.

Kind of messes with your head, doesn't it?

So Transaction #4.....

3 ProFoot Insoles-on sale this week for $5 each=$15
1 Sudafed PE-on sale this week for $5.99 Used $1.50/1Q
1 Tylenol Sinus-on sale this week for $4.99 Used $1/1 Q

Used $1/1 Q, $1.50/1 Q & Rite Aid $5/25 Q

Subtotal-$25.98
Coupons Used-$7.50
Tax-$.00
Spent Out of Pocket-$18.48

My OOP is high for this one but I'll get back $10 on Offer #20 for the Insoles, the SudafedPE goes toward Offer #50(Johnson&Johnson) and the Tylenol Allergy goes toward Offer #500.

And remember those Mini Drops Eye Drops I bought back in my 1st transaction? Not only will I get all my purchase price back for those but that item purchase qualifies for Offer #500 too!

So at the end of Day 1 here is where I stand.....
Rebates qualified for-

Skintimate $2.24

Salt-Aire $6.99

Mini Drops $6.49

Listerine Whitening $2.00

ProFoot $10.00

Claritin $3.00

Offer #50 $10-Highest level

Offer #500 $10-Need $12.54 more to get $25.00 Gift Card

Total of $50.72 in Rebates
Total Out of Pocket $50.27
If you subtract what I've spent from what I'll get back, when all is said and done, I'll be Out Of Pocket NOTHING and the store owes me .45¢

And I have Merchandise valued at $104.61 too.

Now you won't get rich playing the drugstore games, but you can end up with lots of neat & necessary things for very little money.

I bought things I like, use or need. Things that I would buy anyway mostly. A few items,things I've never tried, IF I get my entire purchase price back I'll buy them. The stores want you to try new items they carry. This is why they offer you a full price rebate on some items.

As the month goes on, there will be a few more things I'll buy at Rite-Aid as they go on sale or during the time frame their purchase will qualify me for a rebate for those items. So my total Single Check Rebate will slowly grow as the month progresses.

It will be harder now to keep my Out of Pocket low since the $5 off $25 purchase Coupon for Rite-Aid expired on thursday night. I am hoping they release a new similar Coupon. If they don't I won't be saving up purchases to get to a total of $25 before I buy. I'll just purchase items singly and with manu. coupons of course.

I'll post an update later in the month in this Series to show you what else I purchase to qualify for a larger check.

In the meantime, go grab a Rite-Aid SCR Booklet and the current Sales Flyer and start figuring out what you can get for free or close to it! ;-)

Sluggy

I Won, I Won! Coupons pay off in a Nice Way

My local Newspaper has been having a contest called the COUPON CLIPPER BOARD GAME.

Basically, you send them a grocery receipt showing how much you saved using coupons from the Sunday inserts. They pick the highest 4 coupon receipt totals each week that folks submit.

The winners get to go to the newspaper offices and pick an envelope off a board. Inside each envelope is a Gift Card to an area grocery store. The amounts range from $25, $50, $100 to the grand prize of $500.

This is the last week the Contest is running. I had sent in 2 different receipts over the course of the month.

They called ME on the phone the other day....I finally won!

I ran right downtown to the office to claim my prize. I did pretty well & got a $50 Gift Card. No one so far has found the $500 GC, unless one of the 3 other winners this week got it.

I really didn't think I had a chance of winning. You see, I don't do "big shops". I don't use my coupons all in 1 receipt. Instead of buying everything in one trip at one store, I do smaller transactions at lots of stores each week. So, in TOTAL, I DO save tons with coupons, but you don't see it by just looking at ONE receipt.

Remember all those bags of Iams Dog Food I got at Walmart w/the $5 Qs last month? Add in the Wheat Thins I also bought on that receipt with $2/2 Qs and I had a $48 Coupon Savings, which was good enough to be a Winner....yippee!

I'll post the article from the newspaper after it comes out on Sunday. The bad part is we all have to have our photos published in the paper.

I just hope mine doesn't come out looking anything like this.....not that there's anything wrong with being a bag lady.....

Sluggy

Sluggy is having a Bad Week

Have you ever heard that old saying that bad things come in 3s?
Well being the overachievers we are, 'our' bad things came in 4s this past week.

First #2 son got his report card.....with a D in Math!
Ack! His first D he is quick to tell everyone. Like being the 1st one makes it better?lol
Hopefully this grade is an anomaly on his part. If not, he'll be watching less screens(computer & tv)this summer and be attending Mommy Math Boot Camp. ;-)

Then #1 son lost his after-school job. Granted it was a crummy job, & we knew the 'letting him go' part was coming and #1 son isn't too broken up over it(he hated that job with a passion!lol). It wasn't a good fit as a job for his skill set and he didn't get along very well with his bosses or the brown-nosing couple of coworkers(oh the colorful names he gave them all.....If it were me, I'd sum then up under the heading, "A Confederancy of Dunces".). The owner/manager knew #1 son was going to be leaving after high school ended anyway and was reducing his hours to the point of trying to get him to quit, but he hung in there until he received a letter in the mail last Friday that his position was terminated. The gutless manager didn't have the decency to tell the kid to his face that he was fired.....she had to hide behind a letter.
It took all my fortitude not to go down to that store and tell them what "I" thought of them and their managerial style....or lack thereof. lolol

And the third thing was the daughter crashing my car into that pole....which you can read about in an earlier post here.

To top it all off, last Sunday I started coming down with the Mother of all Sinus Infections. This week has been a fog for me, when I've been able to hold my head vertical. When my head wasn't spinning, my ears were ringing or my nose was running. The only relief has been multiple sessions with the Neti Pot and warm saline water.....aaaaaaahhhhh!
It still freaks the kids out to watch but man, it sure makes my head feel better to irrigate my sinus cavity.
Of course, we had those 2 August Weather Days earlier in the week while I was suffering through this head cold/sinus episode. I don't do well in the heat under the best of conditions so this just added to the misery on my part.
90 degrees in April in PA....What was UP with THAT??!!!

Ok....I guess I need to either shaddup about this or commence serving some cheese about now with all this 'whine'.lolol

Here's the 411 on the Neti Pot....



Personally, I like this guy's Frugal Neti Pot!



On the Good side of things, I think I am over the worst of this sinus infection, I haven't murdered anyone(not like I didn't have the opportunity!), & I got a rental car to use(b/c the insurance adjustor nixed driving the crashed car until getting it fixed). Rental car means I was able to hit the stores to roll some RRS at Wags and use some 4/30 expiring Qs at the grocery store today. Just that little bit of 'out & about' today wore me out, bringing on chills and then fever. I am hitting the bed momentarily and shutting down the computer until late tomorrow.
I just need to sleep and not think about deals and Qs, being frugal & green or worrying about updating the blog. Maybe I can guilt the family here into some TLC for Mom over the weekend too. Wouldn't hurt to try, right?lol

So, I'll be back in a couple of days everyone. Less delirious(well, sort of), more rested and ready to take on the new Sunday Inserts. ;-))

Sluggy

The KMart SUPER DOUBLES Campaign TOTALS...WOW!!!

This is the New Man in my Life. ;-)
I completed 8 Transactions during the KMart Super Doubles Event.
Here are my Final Numbers.....

Total Value of Items w/sale prices.....$532.66 ($517.51 before tax)
Add in the $5.00 Giftcard for buying the Kellogg's Cereal, and the Value of Items increases to...............................$537.66

Total Value of Coupons used.............$468.44

Total Out of Pocket Spent..................$64.22

Portion of OOP that was Tax.............$15.15

Percentage of Savings..................just under 89% Saved!


Ok, so here's what $64.22 Buys when you shop with me...

Glade Candles 11
Glade Large Candles 2
Glade Reed Diffusers 2
Pine-Sol 2
Purex Detergent 4
Renuzit TriScents 2
Renuzit TriScents Refills 2
Ziploc Bags 2
Better Than Ears Dog Treats 5
GoodLife Cat Treats 14
GoodLife Dog Food 2
Friskies Cat Treats 8
Pedigree Good Bites 16
Pedigree Dry Kibble 7
Pedigree Dentastix 9
Pedigree Marrobones 14
Purina Kibble & Chunks large bag 2
Purina Carvers Treats 1
Rachel Ray Dog Kibble 4
Temptations Cat Treats 4
Whiskas Cat Treats 4
Betty Crocker Frosting 2
Bliss Candy 5
Butterfinger 1
Campbell's Soups 4
Campfire Marshmallows 2
Hershey Kisses 1
Kellogg's/Post Cereal 5
Kraft Mayo 2
Kraft Dressing 8
Lipton Side Dishes 3
Pop-Tarts 2
Quaker Rice Snacks 4
Sobe 4
Vitamin Water 30

Dry Idea 2
Halls Cough Drops 3
Herbal Essence Shampoo 2
Razors 2
Vaseline Lotion 4

I had fun with Mr. BLue Light.....did you?


Sluggy