Legal Stealing

So I got a deal at CVS today that was so good that it feels like stealing...

2 packs of Huugies size 3 diapers $10 each
1 pkg Gentle Care Huggies wipes (184 ct) $5
Tax 1.76
Total 26.26
MINUS:
-$5 off $25 CVS coupon I got in my e-mail box
-$2 quarterly Extra Bucks
$5 coupon off of Gentle Care (from coupons.com)
$1.50 Huggies
$1.00 Huggies

Total out of pocket: $11.76
PLUS I earned $10 Extra Care Bucks

So I paid $1.76 for 2 pks of diapers and a refill of wipes!

Drugstore game

Harmony and I hit both CVS and Walgreens tonight...

CVS
Coke 4/$13 12 pks
minus 4 $1/1 coupons from coke rewards (hint: the coupons "cost" 35 pts, and you can print 2 by hitting the back button, true for all Bricks coupons)
minus $3 ECB earned

4/$6 12 packs of Coke! That's $0.125 can, cheaper than generic :)


Walgreens

Brach's carmels 75% off $1.00 (for MYO Take5 candies for Christmas)
2 M&Ms $2.50 each (for Winter chex mix)
Almay Mascara 6.99 (Xmas gift for niece)
Almay eyeshadow 7.49 (Xmas gift for niece)
2 pks Walgreens diapers (40 ct) 8.99 (B1G1F)

Minus coupons:
$6 register rewards from previously
2x$1 off Almay
6.99 B1G1F Almay products

Minus rebates:
-2.50 M&Ms (I bought 2 packs earlier; it's $5 off of 4 pks)
-6.99 Almay mascara

So I earned $1.50 on the Almay products (and scored part of a Christmas present), stocked up on candy for Christmas gifts, and got diapers for $0.11 each. Not bad!

Walgreens

I've been playing the Walgreens game a little longer than the CVS one, and I used two techniques today that really worked:
1) When something that's on sale for a good price is out, ask for a raincheck.
2) Watch the expiration date on Register Rewards--the ones I used today would have expired tonight!

So here's what I got:
2 bottles of Dawn dish detergent, 0.99 eachh (raincheck from last week)
1 jar of Jif peanut butter, 1.66 (Patrick's favorite)
2 boxes of Lucky Charms, 1.99 each (kid's favorite)
1 bottle of Pert shampoo + conditioner, 3.79

Subtotal: 11.41 plus tax
Minus:
$1 off of 2 GM cereal
2x0.50 off of Dawn
0.55 off of Jiff
2.00 off Pert

Total: 7.26
Minus: $5 register rewards from the Kellogg's deal
out of pocket: 2.26
Minus: 3.79 rebate on Pert

So I "made" $1.53! Of course I spent it when I earned the $5 register rewards, but it still feels good to fork over very little money for a bunch of stuff we use and like. If you want to see other people's deals (somehow I didn't get the Skippy coupons in this weeks paper--I'll be going back for the Bertolli deal!), please visit Moneysavingmom.com

Bargain hunting---lots of groceries for $30!

This was not my normal grocery trip for the week--we needed milk, and a few things for meals this week. (I already went and stocked up on chicken breasts ($1.99/lb) and pork loin ($1.97/lb). So while I was there, I decided to partake of some great deals...


2 boxes of Miniwheats (Patrick and Henry's favorite) $4
2 boxes of Raisin Bran @ $2 each $4
4 boxes of Nutrigrain bars @ $2.50 each $10
2 Keebler Cookies @ $2 each $4
2 boxes of Rice Crispies treats (PB& chocolate ) $3
2 Betty Crocker cookie mixes $3
2 Betty crocker frosting $3
2 BC Fruit snacks $4
1 Betty Crocker Mini Bowls $2
1 Welch's juice $2
1 Kroger Instant oatmeal brown sugar 10 pk $1.50
1 Welchs Twist Juice* $2
1 Lactaid milk w/extra calcium* $3.99
2 Kroger milk* 1/2 gallon $2.67
1 Kroger instant oatmeal (canister)* $2.39
1 Cran-grape juice* $2.49
1 Margarine* $0.86
1 pkg of fresh mozzarella (a very good price!)* $1.79
1 baking soda* $0.73
1 baking powder* $1.23
2 lbs cherries (I love cherries, and good price!)* $1.50

Total before coupons: $60.88
Minus:
2 Buy 10 get $5 off (Kellogg and BC items) -$10
-$1/2 Raisin bran (this week's Sunday coupons)
-$1/2 Nutrigrain bars (ditto)
-$1/2 Keebler cookies (ditto)
-$1/2 Rice Crispies treats (ditto)
-$1/2 -2x0.50 BC cookie mix (www.coupons.com)
-2x0.50 BC frosting (www.coupons.com)
-0.55 BC Warm Bowls
-0.50 doubled to $1 BC Fruit snacks (a couple week's ago paper)

Total after coupons: $43.88

Minus Kellogg's $10 off of 10 rebate from this week's paper: $33.88

And I used a Kroger gift card that I got in July, when they had a "buy a GC with $300, get it credited with $330" deal, so it was more like $30 of "real" money :)

The total from the things on my actual list (starred above) was $17.45, so comparatively, I spent more than sticking to my list. But the cereal and nutrigrain bars are staples around here, so getting 4 boxes of cereal and 4 boxes of bars for $4 (after coupon and rebate) was too good of a deal to pass up. The cookie mixes ended up being $0.50, cheaper than a batch of homemade (at least for the double chocolate chunk I got :)), and we'll use the frosting ($0.50 after coupon and buy 10 deal) for Henry's birthday cake. The Rice Crispie Treats and Keebler cookies were free :)

So lots of treats I wouldn't usually buy, but when an entire package is cheaper than a candy bar, it's hard to pass up.

If you want to see other bargain hunting conquests, check out www.moneysavingmom.com

CVS trip

I got a $10 off of $50 coupon on my last transaction--why do the smaller coupons (like $4 off of $20) seem easier to work with? I did stick to my rule of only buying what we will use (like favorite deodorant brands and cents). It's not a killer oop, but is what we needed.

4 14 oz packs of M&M's $10 (to make Monster cookies)
2 Degree deodorants $3.98
1 Hello Kitty Bandaids $2.99 (for the queen of bumps, bruises and scrapes)
1 Charmin 12 double rolls $6.49
2 Stayfree maxi pads $9 (stocking up for when baby arrives)
1 Tylenol Extra Strength $6
Mylanta $5.50
1 CVS pantiliner $.99
1 20 oz deluxe nuts $4.99 (a favorite snack)
Plastic cups $2.99 (for a meeting tomorrow--original purpose of trip)

Total: 52.93

Minus: $10/$50
0.25 Charmin
1.00 Tylenol
4.50 BOGO Stayfree
1.00 off 2 Degree
1.00 off Bandaids

Total: 34.68 plus 2.41 tax: $34.09

Minus: 3.00 ECBS from previously

Earned Extra Care Bucks:

$5 (from $10 candy)
$10 (from buying $20 J&J products)
$2 (from Bandaids)
$0.99 (from CVS pantiliners)

Total: $18.10 (Total paid minus ECBs earned)

If I didn't have the $10 off of $50, and you wanted to do the $5 CVS challenge, you could do multiple transactions like this:

Transaction 1:
2 CVS pantiliners 1.98
1 Bandaid product 2.99
minus Bandaid coupon -1

total OOP: 3.97+tax
Earned ECBs: 3.97

Transaction 2:
2 Stayfree pads $9
J&J products totalling $11 (bath buddies are cheap ($1) and if you use the 2/$2 coupon, they're free)
BOGO coupon -4.50
J&J coupons from company website or here
ECBS -3.97
OOP: variable + 0.53 + tax
Earn $10 in ECBs

Transaction 3:
Photo DVD (think Christmas present!) $9.99
-$10 ECB
0 oop
Earn 9.99 ECB
Can repeat this transaction several times.
NB: I tried a photo deal last week, and it was kind of a pain. Definitely put all the pics you want on a single memory card, and upload the whole thing to save time.

Walgreens deal

I tried shopping for bras this afternoon, and the score was bras: 10. Me: 0. How can a 38C be too small but a 40C (and 40B) be too big? And why don't they make 40As?

So I needed a shopping victory, so I went to Walgreens. Here's what I got:

Electrosol 12 pk $2.19
2 Quattro disposable razors, 5.99 each
2 pkgs of envelopes 0.99 each
2 crayola 10 pk markers 0.99 each
Chocolate chip granola bars 1.00
2 Colgate toothpastes 3.49
Loaded chocolate bar 0.99

Subtotal 37.80

Minus:
3.00 Colgate (walgreens ad coupon)
0.98 Envelopes (walgreens ad coupon)
$2/2 Colgate Easy Saver Walgreens coupon
$4.00 Quatro Easy Saver coupon
2 $1.50 Colgate coupons from All You (July and April?)
5.99 BOGO Quattro coupon (today's paper)
2.00 Electrosol paper (today's paper--listed at 2.25, but rang as $2??)


Grand out of pocket: 7.68 (after tax)

Rebate: 0.99 (chocolate bar)

So the electrosol was 0.19 (should have been free, but good enough), the candy bar was free after rebate, and I made a dollar on the toothpaste (anyone need some toothpaste? Even though I only get it when it's free, we have a ton). We're out of envelopes, and the markers are for school for Henry (I'm assuming--still don't have a list from school). I had a gift card for 7.69 from last month's rebates, so I really paid nothing! Defiitely made up for the bra shopping :)

CVS deal--0 out of pocket!

I don't think I've ever had a "pay nothing out of pocket" trip before--it's a bit of a trip! While in reality it cost me $4 (in ExtraCare Bucks), I'm still happy about providing for my family without much money being involved. I did get a $5 off of $25 coupon that I tried to figure out how to use, but in the end, I'm saving it for another week.

2 Chex mix, 2/$3
1 Kashi cereal and 1 Kashi granola bar, 2/$5
1 CVS pantiliner $0.99
1 gallon of milk, 2.99 (what I really came in for)
2 Sure deodorants, 5.98

Total: 17.97 plus tax

minus:
2 $1/1 Chex mix (printable)
2 $2/1 Kashi (from www.kashi.com; register, and use the back button to print a second)
$1 Sure deodorant (5/11 smartsource)

subtotal: 10.97
Minus: $10 ECBs from before, $1 ECB from spring spending
OOP: 0!

Earned: 3.99 ECBs
Plus Sure rebate (from 5/11 smartsource) for $3 (I ended up earning $1 minus postage for the deodorant!)

So all together, I spent $11 (in ECBs) and earned 3.99 ECB + $3 rebate. Not bad considering we were completely out of milk (which was $3 of the $4 I spent)!

CVS victory

So I may have failed Menu Planning this week, but I passed at CVS :)

I went this afternoon and got:

2 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios (3/$9)
2 boxes of Lucky Charms (3/$9) (The kids will love me)
2 boxes of Fruity Cheerios (3/$9)
1 box of Nature Valley Almond bars (3/$9)
4 SoyJoy bars ($1 each)

Total: $25.00

Coupons:
$5 off of $25 (got on a previous order; I've also gotten from the machines)
2x0.60 off HN Cheerios (Printable here)
$1/3 GM cereals (From newspaper, I don't recall the dates)
$.65 off Nature Valley bars (Printable here)
BOGO SoyJoy from All You (March or April?)

After coupons: $15.15

Paid with: 11.97 of previously earned ECBs
Out of pocket: 3.18

Earned: $10 ECBs for later

So considering ECBs as real money, I got 7 boxes of cereal and a box plus four snack bars for 5.15. Less than a buck a box! You can see other people's CVS runs at www.moneysavingmom.com

The "drugstore game"--rookie edition

I'm relatively new to the "drugstore game"--though I've been playing at Walgreens for a while. The "game" is by combining in store deals, like extra care bucks (ECB's; at CVS) or rebates and register rewards (RR's; at Walgreens), you can get household supplies, personal care items, and sometimes groceries for pennies. (For a great tutorial, check out this site.) The deals aren't quite as sweet at Walgreens, but I like that you get the money back on a gift card instead of as pieces of register paper, that you then need to keep track of and use before they expire (usually within a month--the gift cards are good for a year, I think).

But I started dabbling in CVS this week. I'm not a die-hard, "get out of the store for pennies" person--I'm mostly happy with getting a good deal on something I'd buy anyway.

So here are my two transactions tonight:
#1: Baby stuff (stocking up, both for us and for shower gifts):
2 size 1 Pampers, 56 ct, on sale for 7.99 each = 15.98
2 unscented Pampers wipes, on sale for 2.99 = 5.98
1 Huggies baby wash = 3.49
Total before anything: = 25.45
Plus tax 1.22
Grand total: 27.67
Minus:
$5 of $25 CVS coupon - 5.00
2 $2/2 pampers products coupons (today's paper) - 4.00
$1 Huggies baby wash coupon - 1.00
$3 ECB bucks from earlier - 3.00

Out of pocket (oop) total 13.67

Earned:
$5 ECB on $20 Pampers products - 5.00
$2 ECB on Huggies baby wash - 2.00

So including coupons and ECBs earned (prorated), I spent 10.25 for 112 diapers. That's a little cheaper than the generics I used for Henry, and are more attractive in a gift bag :) And the Baby wash ended up being only $0.50--some people would hold out for free, but I'm ok with a "good deal".

I then went back and used the ECBs I had just earned for a second transaction--Patrick desperately needs a new toothbrush, we're out of AA batteries and almost out of Charmin. I know we could get better prices with generic, but we do have some brand loyalty, especially to Charmin :)

3 Oral B toothbrushes (regularly 2.99) 1.77x3= 5.31
2 Charmin 9 packs (normally $6.99) 4.99*2= 9.98
1 16 pk AA batteries (same $/battery as the sale)11.99

Total before taxes 27.28
Tax 1.07
Grand total 28.35

Minus:
$5 off of $25 CVS coupon -5.00
Duracell peel off coupon -2.50
2 Charmin coupons -0.50
Buy 2 get one free Oral B coupon -1.77
ECBs from last transaction -7.00

OOP 11.58
Earned $10 ECBs

So although I spent $25.25 and $3 ECBs, I earned $10 in ECBs (net), and all the stuff I bought is stuff we can use. And $18 for all of that isn't bad at all, in my book...as long as I spend the $10 ECBs on stuff we need!

It's definitely a game--if you don't enjoy figuring out scenarios and being prepared to either show up at the crack of dawn (I actually went to Walgreens the other morning at 4 am...but it was because I couldn't sleep!) or have the really great deals be out, it's not for you. But it is a good way to save $$ on basic household supplies! If you'd like to see how the pros play, check out the Money Saving Mom's blog--she often has people report on their latest game strategies.