Walgreens 5/20

Walgreens 5/20

$5.98   2 skinny cow multipack candy bars, $2.99 each
-$2/2 walgreens may coupon book
-$1.50/2 mq
$1.47   3 nestle 100 grand candy bars, $.49 each
-$.60/3 mq
$3.99 U by Kotex tampons (earn $3 RR- makes these FREE after coupons!)
-$1 mq
$6.98   2 Splenda $3.49 each
-$1 mq
-$1 mq
$9.98 2 Advil $4.99 each (earn $5 RR wyb 2- makes these $.50 each after coupons!)
-$2 mq (found on peel board at my doctors office, yay!)
-$2 mq
$3   2 mt dew 2 liters $1.50 each (no deal- but needed a filler and Dan needed his life juice)
-$2 RR from last week
-$2 RR from last week

$31.40 before coupons
-$15.10 in coupons
$16.30 out of pocket
Register Rewards earned- $5 wyb 2 advil and $3 wyb Kotex tampons

Not a super great week- but I was able to pick up a few things that we are out of and use- so I'm happy.  If you have not stocked up your shelves with free Tampons after all the sales the past few weeks on this brand of Kotex, I'm not sure why : )

Shopping week 5/6

I neglected to snap pictures again- but here is what was on my list this week.

CVS:
3 General Mills Cereals- 3/$9, get $4 EB back (there are various mq's to match up to reduce even more)
Buy $50 in panera, itunes & spa gift cards get $10 EB.  Tricky- they are only in $15 incriments.
U by Kotex tampons/pads $3.99, get $3 EB
Snickers & Mars single $.75, get $.75
Childrens Allegra $9.99- used $5 mq from 5/6, earned $4.99 EB
Milk $2.99, get $1 EB
Physicians Formula is $5 off- but I passed after looking over my options (out of mq's and just not in the mood to shop for make up)
ALSO- scan your card at the magic coupon machine- this week you get a coupon to buy a 12 pack of diet cokes for $.99 when you spend $20!!!  Chances are, if you are there couponing, your precoupon total is above $20 anyway.
After all my coupons and extra care bucks I rolled- I spent about $4, plus I left with several EB for next week.  That total doesn't include the gift cards obviously.  I'm going to roll a $15 rebate from P&G and a few other little rebate checks I've received into those. 

Walgreens:
Complete Multipurpose Solution $7.99, earn $7.99 RR
Lanacane Cream $5, earn $5 RR (they were out of this)
Dickensons Witch Hazel $4, earn $4 (this stuff has lots of great uses not only as cleanser but for first aid!)
Nutrigrain & Poptarts $2/5 earn $2 RR- used $1/2 mq's- made Nutrigrain $1 per box
Kettle Corn $1.99, used $1 mq
Hunts tomato sauce 3/$1- they were out of this too
I spent around $7 out of pocket this week.  But that might go up a bit because I'm going to go back to look for that lanacane creme and pick up a few more boxes of nutrigrain bars.

Target seems to be a great deal place this week- but I just can't find the time to get over there.  I may still try, but I'm sure they are wiped clean of all Nivea chapstick and lotion by now!

Another P&G Rebate

I just wrapped up my $15 when you spend $50 Proctor & Gamble rebate from the last couple of months and low and behold, they are offering another one.  $10 when you spend $50.

Now- to the average person, you might think that getting $10 back on $50 in product is okay- but not worth going for.  But to a couponer, it's a slam dunk.  Because going right along with these rebates are super store deals.  For instance, on the $15 rebate- my total out of pocket for all $50 in product was LESS than $10 after coupons and store promotions.  So essentially I MADE $5 plus got to stock up on pads, tampons and make up.

Granted, I didn't get it all in one trip- but when an item included on the rebate was offered for free after rewards in a store (or super cheap), I'd pick it up and put my receipt with the rebate.  When I hit the $50 (which is calculated BEFORE coupons)- then I sent it in.  And I've already gotten my $15 prepaid visa card in the mail.

Marsh stores here locally are offering a $10 My Marsh Money when you spend $30 on certain P&G items, including pantene shampoo.

Now- shampoo on sale for $3.50 is no bargain.  There were days of my life that I would have thought so, but not any longer.  Here's how I worked it:

6 Pantene Shampoo $3.50 each= $21
2 Downy fabric softener $4.99 each= $9.98
-$1 downy mq
-$1 downy mq
-$12.45   3 b1g1 Pantene shampoo mq's (deducted $4.15 each instead of $3.50 sale price- yay!)

$16.53 total spent- earned a $10 My Marsh Money certificate for spending $30 before mq's
So my total spent is only $6.53- which is about the cost of the fabric softener I needed anyway.

I will use those 6 bottles of pantene shampoo toward the rebate.  In fact, I think I might go back and just do that same shopping scenario again (this time with paper towels instead of fabric softener) and then I'll be at $42 in product for the rebate.  I'll throw in the 2 Venus razors I picked up at CVS last week for $.49 each after CVS bucks (price each $7.49- so that will be almost another $15 toward the rebate) and go ahead and send it in.

The best part?  I will get back the money I did have to spend on the items- PLUS I get to keep all the items.  Guess who will NOT be spending $3.50 on shampoo when we run out next time?

4/29/12 Drugstores

Gosh- no pictures again this week.  Sorry.

Walgreens:
Depend Silhouette 3 pack $4.49, used a $1.50 mq, got $3.50 RR ($.51 profit) (great donation item)
U by Kotex tampons $3.99, used a $1 mq, got $3 RR (free)
Planters Nabisco Belvita & Crystal Light buy  $15 get a $5 RR
4 crystal light $8, used 2 $1/2 mq's
1 Belvita $3, used $1 mq (dang I wish I had more coupons for these- they are soooo good!)
2 nabisco crackerfuls 2/$5, used 1 $1/2 mq- spent $12 on these items, got $5 back- makes them $1 each!

On a seperate transaction I bought 6 more boxes of crackerfulls peanut butter 2/$5- $15 total and used 6 $1 mq's- Paid $9 and got $5 RR.  Less than $1 a box and these are great for lunches for the kids!

That was it for Walgreens.

CVS:
Colgate Max Clean Smart Foam Tooth Paste $2.99, used $.50 mq, $1 cvs magic coupon maching $1 of any toothpaste q, earned $2.49 CVS Bucks ($1 profit!)
3 special K fruit crisp bars 3/$10, used $1/2 mq- paid $9 got $3 CVS Extra bucks (makes them $2 per box- kind of pricey but we all really love them and they are sooooo much healthier than a poptart but that's what the kids compare them to)
Skinny cow candy bars buy 2 get 1 free- spend $20 on select Nestle get $5 ECB
18 Skinny Cow Bars- used 6 buy 2 get 1 free mq's- so with the sale I paid for 1 out of 3 ($6.67 total)
9 Nestle candy bars- buy 2 get 1 free- used 3 $.60/3 mq's- (4.14)
So for all 27 candy bars- I paid $10.81 and got a $5 ECB back, making it just $5.81 for all or $22 per candy bar.  The timing is PERFECT because I was putting together a care package for a deployed friend and a college student and you know they will both love candy!!!

I've since found out about a deal on Nivea handlotion- buy 2 get $5 ECB.  The 1.7 oz extended moisture is $4.79- buy w $9.58 and use 2 $2mq's from 4/29 redplum- pay $5.58 and get $5 ECB- makes them $.29 each!  I love to use nice lotions as gifts for office ladies and teachers at christmas- I will pick a couple up to put back for such an occasion!

I also got a few magic coupon machine coupons I want to check out, but I just didn't have time.


In other news- if you are local and have a Marsh- they have a spend $30 on select P&G items get a $10 My Marsh Bucks.  I'm thinking about stocking up on some paper towels and fabric softener.  I'll work out the details and let you know how I work it.  But first I have to go through and trim all the coupons from last Sunday's paper.  Yeah- I'm behind : )

Shopping week 4/22

It's been a hard week- but I did manage to get to CVS and pick up what I was wanting.

$12- 4 mt dew 12 packs $4 each (buy 3 get $2 ECB)
$2.50 Belvita cookies
-$1 mq
-$1 magic machine cvs q off belvita
$2.99 gallon milk (get $1 ECB)
$3.99 Kotex U tampons (get $2 ECB)
-$1 mq
$3.99 Always Radiant tampons (get $1 ECB)
-$2 mq (from box of previous)
$6 revlon lipgloss
-$1 mq
$6 revlon lipgloss (earn $4 ECB wyb $10 revlon)
-$1 mq
-$5 magic machine cvs q wyb 2 revlon
$2.97 3 american greeting cards $.99 each (earn $3 ECB wyb 3)
$6.29 Physicians Formula concealer (earn $7 ECB wyb 1)
-$3 magic coupon machine cvs q wyb any physicians formula

$47.63 total (without tax)
-$15 product coupons
-$17 ECB from last week

$15.63 cash spent (without tax)
$20 in ECB for next week

I still haven't been to Walgreens- and may just skip it this week.  But I still have $17 in items to purchase to finish out my Proctor and Gamble rebate that has to be dated by 4/28/12- so I know I will have to go somewhere in the next couple of days.

Shopping 4/15 week

This is gonna be a quick summary without pictures- but I for one was happy with the sales at the drugstores this week:

Walgreens:

Goody hair ties & scrunchies $1.99, earn a $1 RR
Pepsi Next 16 oz bottle $.99, earn a $.99 RR  FREE
Purex b12g1 $5.99, $1 mq's- made it just $2 a bottle
Simalasan allergy relieve nasal spray $6, earn a $6 RR  FREE
Nasal Ease Allergy Reliever $9, earn a $9 RR  FREE
(certain areas of the country got $5 mq's for this making it a money maker- we don't live in one of them)
(but I'll take any allergy meds I can get for free- 4 out of 5 in our house have allergies)
Aquafresh Kids Toothpaste $2, $1 mq's and $1 wags book store q's, FREE

I transferred a prescription and earned a $25 giftcard (walgreens.com- you can too!) so all total I spent $25.18 in 3 transactions (had to have 3 sodas for my 3 kids- I couldn't bear the arguing), but after my free gift card I spent just $.18!!!!!  PLUS I left with $19.97 in RR for next week.

CVS:
Starburst or Skittles 4/$2, earn a $1 ECB wyb 4 (makes them $.25 each)
Kraft homestyle mac & cheese 2/$6, $1 mq's, earn a $3 ECB wyb 2 (makes them $1 each)
Colgate Total Advanced $2.99, $1 mq's, earn a $2 ECB    FREE
Depend Real Fit $3.99, $1.00 mq's, $2 cvs q's (from their website), earn a $2 ECB    $1 Money Maker
Tampax Radiant Tampons $7.49, $1 mq's, earn a $2 ECB (makes them $4.49- using toward rebate)
Neosporin Daily Moisture body wash $10.49, $3 mq, earn a $5 ECB (makes it $2.49- we have some serious excema in this house yall)
Physicians formula tinted moisturizer $13.49- I was a lucky one last week and got a $15 off any Physicians Formula skin care q from the red magic machine- woo hoo!

I spent a total of $5.49 after all coupons and extra care bucks I rolls from last week- total savings of $53.23.  Plus I earned $17 in ECB for next week.

Target:
Used tons of target q's along with manufacturer q's and saved a ton of cash----
(you can print 2 of each target q at target.com- if you aren't doing this, you should be)
4 Method dish soap $2.69, $1 tq and $1 mq- $.69 each
2 Mossimo girls tank tops $6, used a $3 tq- $3 each
2 Merona womans tank tops $6, used a $3 tq- $3 each
Lifesavers gummies bag $1.89, $.75 tq and $1 mq- $.14
2 Belvita breakfast cookies $2.99, $1 tq and $1 mq- $.99 (these are yummy!)
2 Gold Peak iced tea $1, $.75 mq- $.25 each
2 Indoor flood light bulbs 2 pack $13, $2 tq and $1 mq- $10 per 2 pack
Tums refreshermints $2.36, $.75 tq and $1.50 mq- $.11
Plus various other items we needed like fabric softener, etc.

Total I spent $49.06 and I saved $47.50 in coupons alone!!!!  In addition, I saved $32.47 in sale prices which includes a few 90% off easter items.

March Spending totals

I never have posted my March spending.  Mainly because I totally didn't hit my goal of $350.

And I have felt guilty about it.

But this morning I got to thinking, and I'm over that guilt.  The reality is that some months there are good sales and things to stock up on- extra birthdays and Easter baskets to be filled- and the totals are up a bit higher than they should be.  It just is what it is.

My totals for March were:

$586.17 spent
$1113.42 saved through store sales and coupons
65% savings

That spent amount is everything except gas and going out to eat.  It's our clothing (if any was purchased), our dog food, our groceries, our birthday gifts, our easter basket candies and toys, our deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, butter, milk and coffee.  It's all of it.

So I think that being able to save 65% on average is not bad- pretty good in fact.  It takes a lot of time and effort to save 90-100% on various items in order to bring that average savings up for items that hardly ever, if ever, have coupons (meat, milk, produce, etc.).  And yes- I went $200 over my goal, I was surprised as well at how much I spent.  But March spread out over 5 weeks this year and who cares anyway right?

On to April.  Which is now half over!