The Rite Satisfaction

I didn't realize I was going to score such deals at Rite Aid this week, but I did.  I went there three times in two days.

It started Tuesday morning with my previous post, the Tangled purchase.  When I got home I thought I'd look through the flyer again to see if there was anything I should use my $10 +up rewards on this week. I noticed the Finish dishwasher products on sale for 50% off and those products along with some other products earned you $5 +up rewards for spending $15, and somehow I'm always snagging Finish deals at Rite Aid and did I ever snag a deal tonight:

Total out of pocket $4.30.  AND I got $5 in +up rewards to spend on my next purchase!  Its like I made $.70 on this deal!  These retail for $34.44 before tax! 

The tabs were $6.49 each on sale for $3.24
The powder and jet dry $4.99 on sale $2.49
$1 Rite Aid off any finish product
(3) $.75 off finish tabs
(1) $.50 off the jet dry
Factor in my $10 +up rewards from my previous Tangled purchase and hello savings! 

Took my $5 +up rewards I earned from this purchase and went right back to the shelves, snagging four boxes of pop tarts which were bogo, and had one $1 off 2 coupon, used a "filler" of a $1 bag of caramel filled chocolate eggs (anything caramel filled = my weakness) and ended up paying $.43 out of pocket (after tax) for $11.76 worth of merchandise (before tax)!

Both of my receipts also printed out a survey which I just took both and received two coupons for $3 off purchase of $15 or more.


Feeling pretty damn good about myself I head to CVS, I'd been looking forward to a good deal I saw since Sunday!
First I use my raincheck for the dial nutriskin lotion that had been on sale for $4.99 with $3 ECB (extra care bucks) and I had a $1 off coupon.  Paid $4.24 but got $3 ecb.  Used the $3 ecb in my next purchase staking advantage of Stove Top Stuffing on sale for 77 cents which I had two 50 cent coupons for...yes 27 cent stove top stuffing, this is the deal I had been excited for since Sunday!  I love my stove top!
Took advantage of Kellogg's cereal being on sale for $1.87 and snagged 3 boxes with $1 off 3 coupon.  Used my $3 ecb and paid $2.15 out of pocket. 

It blows my mind to think if I had gone into the store, needing these products, with no sales and no coupons I would have paid $24.74 for these products before tax.  I paid $6.39 out of pocket with tax.

I also noticed tonight while I was typing this blog that my CVS receipt says as of March 15 I have saved $146.53 at CVS this year.  I think I like that!

And because my daughter has seen me come home and line up all my deals and snap pictures she had decided she needs to get in on this, so as I'm unloading stuff from the rest of my trip which included a trip to the grocery store for some needed stuff I buy with out without coupons she decided she had to set up some products and take a picture herself:

I will mention I had a Free coupon for the Motts after finding one rancid in the last pack I bought and calling the company about it.  I had a $1 coupon off the fruit cups after contacting the company via their website and asking for coupons.  I had a $1 off 2 on the yogurt, a $1 off the deli cheese, and a $1 off 2 on the rice and bought it because I can get a $5 rebate for buying that and the Tangled DVD, and well, we like rice!  I was not so lucky with the strawberry and chocolate syrup, I actually called Hershey's to see if they would send me coupons and they told me no, to look in my sunday paper and check their website.  There was nothing on their website for coupons and although from time to time I see Hershey coupons for candy in the sunday paper coupons, never ever have I seen a coupon for the syrup, which is what I said I wanted a coupon for when I called! 

Maybe Target tomorrow?  Who knows!

Happy Saving!

Tangled on DVD

Last year as a treat to my two kids I took them to see Tangled 3D at the movie theater, their first movie at the theater and they both loved it. My girl has been obsessed with anything Tangled ever since and has asked several times for the DVD to watch at home and today her wish was granted when it was finally released on DVD!

Several stores ran good deals on the DVD and/or blu ray combo pack, including Kmart, which offered a free rapunzel doll with blu ray purchase, CVS offered $3 extra care bucks and Rite Aid, which is where I purchased the DVD.  Rite Aid had $10 +plus rewards when you purchased both Tangled on DVD and one nexxus haircare item, which were also on sale at 20% off.

I purchased the DVD at $19.99, the Nexxus shampoo (which I LOVE by the way) on sale for $7.99 (reguarly $9.99), used a $5 off $25 Rite Aid purchase that I had previosly printed off from Rite Aid's website, a $5 off Tangled DVD purchase which I printed from the disney website the other day thanks to moneysavingmadness.com  (The coupon was technically for the blu ray combo but it went through anyways).  I then used two $1 off purchase I printed online with rite aid video values.  So total out of pocket was $17 plus change AND I received $10 in +up rewards to use on my next purchase, so it was like getting the DVD and the shampoo for $7 and change.  I was satisfied with this purchase! 

Next I HAD to go to Wal-Mart and get the boy a DVD too, I ended up getting the Spiderman 3 disc DVD set which included Spiderman, Spiderman 2 and Spiderman 3 all for only $13, no coupons necessary, just what I thought was a damn good deal and overall a good morning shopping trip with two great deals and two very happy children!  Movie night tonight!

Deals at Target

I happened to check the Target flyer when it came out this last Sunday and saw that Wheat Thins were on sale for $2 (reguarly $2.99), and I also saw a Target web coupon for buy three get fourth free, so I printed that off. I became a fan of wheat thins and triscuits on facebook and was able to print two coupons each for $1 off 1 wheat thins, wheat thins stix and triscuits.  I had previously printed a $1.50 off soft scrub with bleach off a link from moneysavingmadness.com and printed off a $1 off 1 target web coupon for it also.  These coupons resulted in this trip:

Total out of pocket $1.99.  Not too bad!  The soft scrub was completely free and the crackers average out to 50 cents each, not bad for something that is reguarly priced at $2.99 each.  My receipt says I saved over $13.  How I love thee Target!

I shouldn't sound so excited because I decided to take my daughter with me (the girl loves to shop!)  and on the way out of Target she suckered me into buying her something at Starbucks, a $4 strawberries and creme frappe!  So much for saving!  BUT as much as I LOVE the double chocolately chip frappe, I controlled myself, saved the $, and saved myself the calories, and made my girl's night.

Happy Saving!

Oops I did it again!

Okay so I can't help singing that tacky Britany Spears song when I think of how I did it again tonight at wal-mart!

I was going to take advantage of the Gain sheets at $1.87 with my $3 coupon last time I was there but the shelf was empty of the 40 ct sheets.  But tonight, they had them.  And while I was in my old office visiting with my former coworker she handed me four coupon books and said here take these I know you're doing the coupon thing!  And there were two more of the $1 mccormick coupons that I had taken advantage of before with the taco seasoning, so I did that again tonight. 

I walked out of the store with 5 free products AND $4.03 in cash.  The cashier wasn't as much of an unfriendly gal as my last one but she did have to call over a shift leader to unlock her drawer who in turn told her that "we don't do that" when she said "it says I owe her money back", but he looked at my coupons and at my products and opened her drawer.  Not once did he tell me you're right. For once instead of a hassle I'd just like the cashier to say "wow, that's awesome!  I want to do that!  How'd you do that!" and be just as damn excited as I am instead of making me feel like I'm being a big inconvience by making them following THEIR coupon policy.  Oh well I won't let it stop me until they post my picture at the door and stop letting me in! 

So tonight I was shopping with a friend and gave her the two taco mixes.  Paying it forward....for free!

Happy Saving...or earning!

Getting Paid to Shop!

Yes you read that correct, get paid to shop!  I did tonight, not only did I purchase 5 products for free, the cashier handed me back $6.86 in cash, well thank you!

This story starts last week when I had read on moneysavingmadness.com that Wal-Mart has a new coupon policy, and that the policy state thats they will accept coupons for more than the product price and that they will provide cash back or credit towards other items.  She mentioned the previous high price coupons for Purex and the 97cent travel size of the strips, as well as the $3 gain fabric softener coupon (wal-mart sells a 40ct Gain dryer sheets for $1.47 but they were out, or I'd have gotten about another $4 back on this slip!) The site recommended printing and bringing a copy of the policy with you to the store.  Okay, I'm thinking, is that really necessary?  Well turns out it is!

I want to test this theory so I get the purex travel size 2 sheet pack for 97 cents with a $3 off coupon for each and two mccormick spice packets at 54 cents each with a $1 coupon for each.  Overage.  I really like that word!  So I tell the clerk that I want the sheets and spice rung up first, I put a seperator inbetween the orders, give her my coupons, I tell her she can bag it together but I want to pay seperate.  She takes my coupons, sets them aside, rings up the sheets and packets and then continues to start ringing up the rest of my items, hello!  I stop her and tell her once again I want to pay for those seperate and want her to please ring in the coupons I gave her, I had a feeling I was getting myself into a situation.

So she looks at the coupons and says that I can only get 97cents, not the $3 and I told her "well, actually, you guys have a new coupon policy, and I understand its new so maybe you don't know about it but I do have a copy of it", so I show it to her and direct her to the line that states "Coupons may exceed the price of the item. Change may be given or applied toward the cost of the basket purchase."  She doesn't like this and calls over her shift leader.  While we're waiting she asks me why I didn't get the larger size of the sheets, to which I respond because I wanted to get a deal!  Geez lady, seriously what right do you have to question me over my purchases, ring the shit up and don't question my purchases!  So now I'm trying to be real nice but she's pissing me off as she's talking to her shift leader about how she can't do what I want.  The shift leader goes back to the service desk to retrieve her own copy of the coupon policy, because apparently I have enough time on my hands to create my own pretend made up coupon policy to get myself a few couple bucks, okay.  She doesn't acknowledge that I'm right, but tells the cashier to go ahead and let the credit stand and ring up about $10 worth of products and then I could pay.  I told her no, the policy states I can have cash back and I want cash back!  She then tells the cashier that she'll make double notes and the blame for this will fall on her, not the cashier, as the cashier tells me that this is against policy and she can get written up and repremanded for giving me this cash back.  I tell her that doesn't make sense that she could be written up for following their policy!  So I get my $6.86 in cash as the cashier complains that this is crazy, this is nuts, she can't believe she is doing this, blah blah blah.  I told her obviously I weren't the only one doing it since all the Gain dryer sheets were wiped out already or she'd be giving me even more in cash!

So onto the rest of the order, for which I had $14.40 in coupons.  When 14 of those coupons are for $1 its hard to keep up with them on the screen though I had my eyes on it the whole time, I thought one hadn't gone through but I wasn't sure.  I look at my receipt as I'm walking off, I count the coupons, they total $13.40.  I go back to the register where the clerk is running off as I was her last customer, so I went back to the service desk, who put me back in touch with the lovely shift manager, we went back over the drawer and she was trying to match up coupons while I tried to explain to her if she just took my pile out and counted them she would see there was $14.40 and my slip shows $13.40, but she was trying to match up coupons with the numbers on the slip, after looking at 2 she said "I'm not doing this, I'm not going through all of this" and rings in a vendor coupon and gives me my dollar.  I tell her as she's doing the transaction that I am not trying to be difficult, that I know its only a dollar, but that I spend hours a week printing, sorting, and clipping coupons and I work hard for that dollar and they are getting their dollar for the coupon they didn't give me my dollar for and its my dollar and I just want to have it.  She doesn't respond, doesn't even look at me, hands me my dollar and walks off!  I know I'm difficult, but it was my damn dollar! :)

So if you're going to try this either do only this transaction or do it after your other transaction so there is no trying to apply the difference to your other order if there isn't one or its already been paid for!

Happy Saving, or Earning in this case!

The Run Around Town

After watching three kids all day, my own two, my neighbor's two year old, and her 11 year old brother who came by for a few hours after school, then spending more than an hour searching, printing, clipping, and organizing coupons I still had some energy left to go on some runs, and it turns out it was worth the trip.

Stop #1: Rite Aid

Total retail before tax $58.41.  My out of pocket w/ tax $13.05.

First transaction I purchased the Purex crystals reguarly $5.99 on sale for $3.99 for which I had a $2 coupon, a $1 Rite Aid video values coupon, and received a $1 +up reward meaning they were basically free.  Because I use and love, love, love Aveeno products (I really couldn't say how much I love their products, without the intense relief handcream my hands would be raw from dryness after the 1,552 times a day I wash my hands!) I decided to take advantage of the buy $15 worth and get $5 +up rewards and used a $2 coupon from the flyer as well.  What made this purchase especially cheap was the $10 +up rewards I had from a previous purchase (thanks Dad!), paying $6.62 out of pocket. 

I put the $6 +up rewards I had right back into my next purchase, Gain was on sale for $4.88 and I had a $1 coupon, Finish was bogo, had a $1 off one, $.75 off one and a $1 off one Rite Aid video values coupon.  No coupons for the children's medicine but at bogo it was too good not to pass up.  I also got two $1 each off purchase rite aid video vaules coupons for letting some video about the pharmacy and another about the wellness program play while I was doing something else, total paid for this transaction was $6.43 out of pocket.  Saved approximately $45, not too shabby.

Stop #2: CVS
Going for a record, today was the third day in a row that I went into CVS, the clerk probably thinks I'm stalking her.  My load today:

Oh bother...I do like looking over my receipts and I'm usually pretty good about it in the store but realize at this very moment I screwed up at CVS.  I was wondering why my extracare bucks didn't print with my first transaction and now I realize why (the clerk gave them to me anyways but still missed out on a better deal), apparently a 20 pack and a 24 pack of batteries look very similar!  So I spent $6.49 for 4 more batteries, ouch.  Not much I can do about it now considering I had to open a package to take these pictures and I opened the 24 pack, go figure.  If I had done it right I would have spent about $21 for the two packages of batteries and 4 boxes of puffs (I had two $1 off 1 battery coupons and should have had a $1 off four puffs but left it at home), and got $10 extra care bucks back.
Oh I also had between prints at the card scanner and on my receipts a total of 3 $4 off a purchase of $20 or more, all three of which I used tonight in these three different purchases!

Next transaction I purchased the neosporin and banaids, had coupon for $1.50 off the combo and earned $5 extra bucks.  Purchase the mascara and eyeshadow having a $1 coupon for each and earning $4 in extra bucks and used my $10 in extra bucks from previous purchase to pay $5.18 out of pocket.

Last transaction purchased the nexxus for which I had a $3 coupon (actually decided I love this product after getting a free sample which the coupon came with), and the cookies at $1 each with a $1 off two coupon, used my $4 off $20 coupon and the $9 extrabucks from previous purchase, and paid $10 even out of pocket and earned $10 extra bucks for next time I'm at CVS.  My three receipts show a total saved today of $52.45, I ain't complaining.

Stop #3: Target

Well, I'm not going to need trashbags for a long time!  I purchased 200 trash bags tonight and at a rate of useage of less than 1 a day I expect to not have to buy trashbags again until Christmas.  The 100ct were on sale for $11 each and you earned a $5 gift card when you purchase two. I had $.75 off 1 and a $1 off 1 coupons and had them ring these up first, paying $21.10, saving $9.73 and earning $5.  I told the clerk I wanted the bags rung up first so I could use the $5 on the remainder, she acted like she was doing me this really HUGE favor by allowing me to do so, saying that I'm supposed to wait 24 hours to use the card, and I tell her I've done this several times before and not one clerk has said a word, which leaves me to put reading this policy on my to do list, chime in if anyone already knows the official rule on this.

The pepsi 12 pks were 4 for $10 which is a great deal and how I do love to treat myself to a can soda once in a while and its been a long while!  I had a target coupon for $1 off 2 mt.dew 12 pks and purchased the pretzels because I had a $.50 off them when purchasing a pepsi 2-liter which was on sale for $1. 

I scored well on the Windex as it was on sale 2 for $4.98 and I had a target $1 coupon, a $.55 off one and a $1 off two, paying $2.43 for the pair, or $1.22 each.  The peanut butter cups were bogo with the target coupon I printed and well who doesn't love a reese' peanut butter cup? 

My slip says I saved $15.29 and I paid $15.57 out of pocket, okay deal!

Stop #4: Shaws

I hit up Shaw's for some items we had to have before tomorrow as we've been without cheese of any kind in this house for 2 days and I honestly don't know how we're still alive!  I did buy some things that weren't on sale, but I'm getting sick of explaining to my daughter that we're out of the shells and cheese cups because she ate them all so I had to get her more of her favorite.  My favorite thing to do at Shaw's is take advantage of their doubling coupon policy, doubling any coupons up to 99cents, that don't say do not double on them of course.  Apparenlty if the coupon code starts with a 5 it will automatically double if the clerk doesn't catch it, today none of my coupons said do not double so I was happy with that.

I saved over half on Mt. Olive pickles that were on sale and used a 50 cent off coupon.  I did the arnold bread deal again with a $1 off 2 coupon, not as good of a deal as last time but a good savings and I'm going to have to buy bread whether I catch it at a deal or not.  I purchased four bags of sargento shredded cheese which at regular price would have been $13.56 and I paid 6.16 for all four or $1.54 each as they were on sale for $1.99 and I had a $1 off 2 and a $.40 off two which doubled.  Between those savings and some double coupons for some other items my bill was around $42 and I saved $25.39.

Stop #5: Walgreens
They were closed, thank god!  Onto home, where I lugged all of it in by myself while my hard working husband who has to get up early was already in bed.  What a night, walgreens, wal-mart and Kohls (I have a 30% off coupon!) tomorrow!

Quickie at CVS

I was just at CVS yesterday, but I went back today!  I wanted to post today about what I got today but I should probably mention the deal I got yesterday too.  Yesterday I took advantage of my previous raincheck for Purex detergent for $1.99 and used three $1 off one coupons getting three bottles for 99cents each.  I purchased tampax with a $2 coupon and a package of kotex that was on clearance, with my raincheck and coupons and $6.98 in extracare bucks from a previous purchase (which I held onto because I knew I'd be back for the detergent) I ended up paying $3.09 out of pocket, I was impressed all day about it!

Then I read on moneysavingmadness.com that the clairol natural instincts hairdye I like to use was on sale and I had seen the $5 off 2 coupon in this Sunday's coupons.  I was some glad I had the clerk put it back on my last Shaw's trip because tonight I grabbed two boxes of dye that were on clearance for $2.24 each and used the $5 off 2 coupon meaning the hairdye was FREE.  I was used a $2 off visine coupon and like moneysavingmadness.com recommended used it to buy the travel size at the counter for $1.99, meaning it was FREE.  When I entered the store and scanned my card I got a coupon for 50cents off one dove, so I grabbed the 99cent candybar in case there was an overage on the clairol coupon, but the clerk said she could only ring it in for the $4.48 total of the products, which I thin k is unfair because the store is geting their $5 back for the coupon plus processing, but she's just the clerk, and I was still getting it for nothing so I couldn't really complain.  There are no pictures of my deal today, batteries in the camera were dead and when I went to retrieve two more from our usual large stash I found only one single AA battery left, guess I better find me a good battery deal asap!

During my shopping trip yesterday I ran into a friend who is getting better at this than me after reading my blog and she advised me of something she saw on one of the blogs I recommend in the tips for shopping at CVS about their bag tag, that you get a bag tag and every four times you use it you get $1 back, so I asked the clerk that day and he confirmed that information, but I didn't have a bag that day.  Today I did, but the clerk didn't tell me yesterday that you have to pay 99cents for the bag tag!  But its still worth it, can't complain to walk about of CVS with two boxes of hairdye that retail for $8.99 reguarly, visine eye drops, a candy bar and a bag tag (wow I just realized they could have called it something else!) for only $1.90 out of pocket!

And in regards to the coupon overage I mentioned previously; I am not aware of CVS' coupon policy, but the websites I check often have said that walmart has a new coupon policy that does allow overage, specifically stating in the policy it can be cash back or put towards another purchase.  I have some high value coupons that I can get lower items with (a $3 gain fabric softener coupon and they sell the small count for less than $2), and I am really interested in to see if I go in with such coupons and buy only those products if they'll give me cash back.  I have other stuff I need to get at wal-mart too and I could just have that put towards those other items, but for some reason I feel the need to try to actually get cash back, I think that will just make me feel better! :)  I'll let you know how that works out. 

Happy Saving!

Shaws

Okay so I've been slacking lately on the posts, I apologize.  I have been slacking on trips too, truth is couponing like this takes time and money, both of which have been short for me lately!  But none the less some good deals I found and some good deals I share.

I thought I had blogged about my Shaw's trip last week but that must have been a dream.  A few things I snagged at a great deal were the Thomas plain bagels, bogo.  The arnold bread was also bogo and I had a 55 cent off one coupon which Shaws doubles and I had two of these coupons, I was going to get four loafs of bread but there was only three on the shelf, so I got myself a raincheck and used both coupons.  The bread retails at $4.79, with the $2.20 in coupons I paid $2.19 for two loafs of bread, can't beat that!  I also took advantage of my prior raincheck I had for the pick 4 meat deal which was pick 4 meats for $19.99, I had the rebate written out for 4 of the Perdue perfect portions, which is individually wrapped trimmed skinless boneless chicken breast, 5 to a package.  I didn't see them right off the butcher was filling the cooler so I asked him about them and told him of raincheck, he said the chicken used to be $6.99 a package when the pick 4 deal was going on, but had since gone up to $9.99 a package, I scored 4 packages for $19.99 so I essentially got them half off.

This week at Shaw's I took advantage of brocolli at 99 cents a pound, because well we love brocolli in this house! All but the boy but he doesn't eat much of anything so his opinion really doesn't count.  Funny story here as I was getting my brocolli so was an older lady and she gave me heck for not shaking out the water, complaining how they water the veggies when they don't need to then they get extra money out of you because you're paying for the water when they weight it at the checkout, well, she is right, so we stood there and shook the heck out of our brocolli together.  Then she peered in my cart and said "oh I see you're buying items that are on sale, can I look and make sure I didn't miss anything?" I told her of course!  And we compared items we were buying, the coupons we had, and the savings we were getting, both agreeing we were pretty damn good shoppers!

I scored these bags of chicken at a steal of $2.20 each.  They are reguarly $6.79 each, were bogo this week and because I have been getting coupon books from others and had four of the same coupon book I had four coupons for $1 off one. 

I also scored these cans of pasta sauce, which is the brand I usually buy anyways because its the cheapest and it actually taste good (yeah sometimes, okay most of the time the cheapest of anything is, for lack of a better term, crap.) for only 9 cents each.  Sometime ago I printed off two coupons for 45 cents off 1, which Shaws doubles, and they retail for 99 cents. 

I also took advantage of the bogo free on Lay's chips, which we don't need to be stuffing our faces with chips in this house, but maybe they'll come in handy for a get together if we dont' eat them before then.

I thought I was going to score a great deal on hair dye again because the brand I buy had some on clearance at half price and I had a $2 off coupon meaning I'd snag it for about $2.50 but the cashier alerted me to the fact that my coupon had expired, and I had her take the hair dye off, BUT because it had been rung through their coupon printer printed me off a current coupon for $3 of 2 of that brand dye, so I just might find myself back there and get two for about $3 each.

I also scored two boxes of candy hearts and a huge bag of valentine lollipops for the kids for just 98cents total.  They totally don't mind eating Valentine candy after Valentine's day is over! 

Last week I also saved $16.75 at Wal-Mart for stuff I reguarly buy and needed.  I got free ibroprofen at Target with their $1 off one up and up pain reliever coupon on their website and would have scored free excedrin with a combination of the store coupon and manufact. coupon but they were out, apparently there are many more couponers out there in the world that know how to snag a good deal!  I got some cleaning wipes for less than $1 after again using target coupons with maufact. coupons.  If you have not you must check out Target's online coupons, combining these with a manufact. coupon can score you items for free or next to nothing, and they change pretty much daily, if you see something you could use, print it then!  Even if you don't have a manufact coupon for it you might get one later before the target coupon expires.

I did take two friends couponing with me last weekend, or was that the weekend before? Sometimes time flies by way too fast.  We didn't get as good of savings as I had hoped because it was either a bad week for sales for items either one of us could really use or the good stuff was already gone.

So I just haven't had the time to hit Rite Aid or CVS or Walgreens this week, I have checked moneysavingmadness.com and passionforsavings.com for the deals there this week, and if there had been something I just had to have and was too good to be true I'd have made it there, and well the week ain't over yet!

Groupon

Okay I've been meaning to mention this for a while!  groupon.com is a website that offers a daily deal for businesses in your area, the closest "area" to us is Portland, but I haven't really looked much further into it, maybe you can choose Lewiston/Auburn area, I don't know, I just know I've seen some good deals that if I lived closer to Portland I would snatch right up!  So check 'em out, the deals change daily and you might just get yourself a good deal!  I apologize I can't really offer any more information about what the site might have to offer BUT time is limited, and if you wanna save you're gonna have to do some of the investigating yourself! :)  Happy Saving!