Rite Aid's Carts aren't Big Enough!

Well anyone who reads this blog that knows we well knows that I am never ever on time for anything and never for any particular reason.  I am also one of the world's biggest procrastinators.  Why do today what I can put off until tomorrow?  I actually purchased a bumper sticker that said "sorry I'm late but f***in off takes time" but have procrastinated putting in on my car!  So yes I did shop at Rite Aid on Sunday and yes I have procrastinated on blogging about it, my apologies, I have no good excuse!  So I will not make you wait a moment longer:

Introducing the motherload:

Believe it or not I fit all this and a 4 year old in my Rite Aid shopping cart, which are tiny and have no bottom rack!  I think the cashier knew what he was up for when he saw me rounding the corner to the checkout!

I broke this up into four transactions to take advantage of +up rewards and be able to use them on the next immediate purchase.

Huggies were on sale for $10 and if you spent $20 you got $5 in +up rewards.  I purchased two in my first transaction using two $3.50 off coupons and a $3 off your purchase of $15 or more from doing an online survey which printed on a previous receipt, and would up paying $10.85 AND got $5 +up rewards.  If you take the $5 into account its like paying less than $3 per package of diapers that reguarly are $11.99.

I did two huggies again in transaction #2 using two $3 off coupons and the $5 +up rewards from previous transaction paying $10.

I ran into some issues with transaction #3 as two of my +up rewards didn't print!  I did the huggies again using one huggies and one pull ups, thinking they were part of the +up reward deal since they were on sale for $10 as well but the reward didn't print.  There was also an add for $5 +up rewards when you spend $15 on select products which included bandaids, neosporin and aveeno products.  I purchased some of all three but the reward didn't print.  I'm not certain the lotion was part of the reward and think it may have only been aveeno first aid products, but the circular wasn't clear and the cashier didn't know.  Now at CVS if a register reward doesn't print they go right into their system and print you one, this cashier told me they couldn't do this at Rite Aid and I'd have to call 1-800-rite-aid.  He did agree the huggies reward should have printed and agreed to take $5 off my next transaction.  This third transaction wasn't a good one for me and probably why I have delayed in entering this post.  I was so excited to get some great deals on this trip and ended up spending a lot of money still, as I type this I still haven't even computed my total savings but will by the end of this post and maybe, just maybe I'll feel better once I see the true savings......

So transaction #3 consisted of one diapers, the pull ups, neosproin, bandaids, 2 aveeno lotions and dial soap and cost me $30.95 BUT without the coupons I had for the diapers ($2) and pull ups ($1.50) and bandaids and neosporin ($1.50 & $1 Rite Aid Video Values), and use of my extra care bucks it would have cost me $47.54, so I still saved over $16, but should have gotten $10 in +up rewards that I didn't.  I did get a $1 +up reward for the dial soap.

I wasn't all that satisfied with the last transaction either which consisted of all the detergent, finish dishwashing products and 5 12pks of soda.  I paid $20.38 before tax.  I printed some finish coupons online and had (2) $1 off, (3) 75cent off, (1) 50cent off, (1) $1 rite aid video values, (2) $2 off pepsi, (2) $1 off general purchase rite aid video values and $1 +up reward from previous dial purchase, and the cashier agreed to take $5 off this purchase for the +up reward not printing on my previous transaction.
I'm not sure why I was down on this purchase because after adding up those items for what they reguarly retail at Rite Aid it totals $83.86, I saved 75%. I'm not sure why this still doesn't really seem good enough for me, probably because I have been watching extreme couponing episodes and watching people get something for practically nothing, literally cents.  But purchasing something at 75% savings is a good accomplishment considering these are items that I am likely to buy whether they are on sale or I have a coupon, and since both were the case, I stocked up now, and its money spent now, but big savings in the future.  This is the way I have to look at my couponing.

In total I spent $73.20 which I was not very happy about at all, ouch.  BUT I saved $106.16, a savings of almost 60%.  Retail these products would have cost me $179.36.  AND I got a surprise $2 +up reward at the end of this transaction for my next purchase.

AND today I called 1-80-rite-aid to see why my reward didn't print and if I was entitled to them, there was no questions asked other than what did I think I should get, some information from my receipt and a promise of two $5 rewards on their way via mail.  So even though I spent $73 I still have $12 to spend on my next purchase, really $15 because I also did another survey for a $3 coupon.

AND I have previously stated that I'm not going to have to buy dishwasher detergent for a long time, well now its a very very very very long time!  I run my dishwasher once a day and a box of the power lasts FOREVER!

Happy Saving!