Drugstore Deals 4-19

I have been MIA here for a few months. It seems that my deal shopping ebbs and flows. But when I get back into it, I get so excited and think, "Why don't I just keep up with it?" Sometimes I kick myself for not taking the time to get stuff together and other times, I just don't care. But I really do love the "high" I get from scoring something for cheap. I am definitely NOT an extreme couponer and I am not a super savvy shopper but I think that I do OK. So last week, I took a few baby steps back into the world of couponing and this week, jumped back in full force.

Today my trusty companions and I hit Walgreens, CVS, Toys R Us and Publix (we also went to Joann Fabric but not for deals).

First stop was Walgreens where I did two transactions.

First transaction was the Always and Goody hair things. I used 2 $1 coupons for the Always. I paid 7.63 out of pocket and got back $3 register rewards for the Goody's (I thought that the Always was yielding a $3RR as well but it didn't print. Probably because I got the wrong item. *shrug*).

The 2nd transaction I got 2 pks of Huggies (8.99 each) and 2 Dawn (99cents each)--those were filler since I thought I would have 4 coupons to use but really only had three. I used 2 $3 coupons for the Huggies and my $3 RR from trans #1. I got back $3 RR to use next time.

Breakdown went like this...
Total: 28.96
Coupons/RR used: 11.00
Paid out of pocket: 17.96 (not including tax)
Register rewards for later: $3

For what it's worth, I don't normally shop at Walgreens because usually I have problems with them taking my coupons or RRs not printing. I took a chance today and it worked OK--not as great as I thought it would but still OK. And I got cheap diapers.

Next stop CVS...

A small transaction because not much thrilled me this week...except the free stuff and the Covergirl since I needed make up.

Paas egg decorating kit 1.99
2 CVS Green Bag Tags .99
Edge Shaving Gel 3.29
CG Clean make up 6.00
CG eye shadow 5.89

Total 19.15
Used 2.50 coupon for CG stuff
Used $10 ECB from last week
Paid 7.99 out of pocket after tax

Got back 10.27 in Extra Care Bucks so really I made money on this transaction!! I wanted to get some of the water for 2.22 but my CVS was completely out.

Publix---January 19

A little late getting my Publix stuff up this week. I shopped on Wednesday but just hadn't had a chance to post. So I will now, and will probably post again soon. Eventually, I will post a family update, just need to have some time that I can sit and do that. But for now, you are stuck with my deal posts.

I was very happy to finally get to Publix after several weeks of getting my deals together only to have other things come up to keep me away. We were running out of cereal and with Lent coming, I needed to stock up on soup for Jeff to take for lunch.

Here is what I got from last week's ad:
4 boxes of waffles (these ended up being about 40 cents each)
4 boxes of soft pretzels (50 cents a box)
2 Power of Fruit bars (all fruit frozen bars. I like them, the kids...not so much LOL)
1 Jolly Time popcorn (FREE!! On sale for $1 used 50 cent coupon that doubled)
2 Fruit Loops
1 Frosted Flakes
2 Frosted Cheerios
3Cheerios
2 Rice Krispies
2 boxes of spaghetti
8 cans of Progresso (with BOGO and coupons these end up being about 90 cents each--GREAT PRICE!)
6 cans air freshener (After sale and coupon there were about 30 cents each!)
6 bottles grape juice
2 Coffee Mate creamers (after BOGO sale and coupon *ready?* TEN CENTS EACH!! WooHoo! These will go to church for coffee hour because we don't use it here at home.)

Total before sales and coupons: 130.18
Coupons: 33.50
Sales: 60.50

Total spent out of pocket: 36.18
Saved 94.00 or 72 percent!!

I hope to do a post soon about how *I* do what I do. Again, I just need to sit down and do it.

New Year's Eve Deals

Can't let good coupons expire and so you must shop on NYE. That is what I did today and was happy that I did. Two of my children and I went to CVS, Publix and Target. Our first stop was CVS. I didn't write out deals just a list of what I knew I wanted to get, my coupons and ECBs that I would get back. I was happy that they had everything in stock I wanted and it all worked out beautifully.

This trip included:
2 pk of Always pads (2 for $6)
4 Vitamin Waters ($1/each)
3 Honest Tea ($1/each)
4 Dawn dishwashing liquid (94 cents each)
1 Colgate (2.99)
1 Tone Body wash (3.88)
1 Pampers (8.99)
1 bag of chocolate covered pretzels (1.49)

Total before coupons: 34.11
Coupons used: 12.00
ECBs used: 15.79

Subtotal: 6.32
With tax: 8.37

Got back 10.00 in ECBs so basically everything was free.

Next stop was Publix. No picture because, really, those get boring. LOL But I saved 106.90 there and paid 56.82 out of pocket (and have a new cashier to add to the *avoid* list). Among the things purchased: 12 cans of Progresso soup; 8 packages of pizza rolls and various other things. Not my best but still a savings of 65 percent.

Then we stopped at Target. I had popped in there yesterday to just look around and saw that Christmas stuff was clearanced to 75 percent off. There wasn't much left but I did notice a bunch of those Wonka Exceptional bars/boxes and remembered that I had coupons for them at the house. I just hoped that the candy would still be there when I was able to get back! It seems that stuff goes very quickly now during Target clearance events.

I got 7 boxes of the Wonka chocolate. They rang up 99 cents and I had various coupons for $1 or $2 or $3 off 2 boxes. So mostly they were FREE!! The Ghirardelli bags rang up 1.74 and my coupons were $1 off 2, I think. I got 4 packages of cookies which was marked to 1.75. And a cupcake decorator for 4.48. My daughter is thrilled about this because it has a thing that allows you to fill cupcakes with different stuff. We expect great things from her now that she has this device. :-) I ended up saving 67.73. My total paid was about $35 but I paid with gift cards so it was all FREE!! (oh and Dollar Spot is labeled as 50% off but rang up 75)




I hope that you and yours have a safe and wonderful new year. And continue savings!

Christmas Eve Deal Shopping

I had intended on going to Publix before Christmas Eve but we have had sick children, husband home, and other stuff going on so I delayed and delayed. I had some last minute things to get today and figured since I was going out anyway, I might as well stop at Publix. I shortened my list to only the things I really, really needed opting to not get more cookie mix or hot chocolate mix. I stuck with what I know we would use soon. I still have plenty of cookie mixes left from the last big stock up.

I think I did well today. And I LOVED that Publix had all registers open. Baggers were at all of them and they had someone who met you in line to help unload your things. The woman who was helping me actually sorted my coupons and made sure that I had the right ones. Then she handed them to the cashier, Tammie, and told her that they were all there. How wonderful! I thought we would be in line a while when we walked in but it was less than 5 minutes.

So here is the breakdown:
10 Colgate toothpastes (one sale for $1--had 75 cent coupons)=25 cents each
12 jars of pickles
14 boxes of Betty Crocker potatoes
5 boxes of Ritz
5 boxes of Triscuits
4 boxes of Froot Loops
1 box of corn pops
2 boxes of Rice Krispies
3 boxes of Frosted Flakes
2 boxes of Chex cereal

Total before sales/coupons was 150.29
Special store savings: 76.74
Coupons: 44.50

Total out of pocket: 29.05

Total saved: 121.24 or about 81% !!

I was thrilled to see less than $30 for all of that! 12 boxes of brand name cereal (14 oz boxes) would cost at least that much by themselves.

And this is what happens when Mom tries to take a picture with 2 little ones "helping"...

Have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

RA Meme

 Kelly over at RA Warrior decided it would be nice if us RA'ers had a meme of our own. I hesitate to participate because so many of the RA'ers I know have it much worse than I. Some need days in bed because they cannot move. Some have to use canes. Some are so very ill from their medicine. And I really don't experience any of that.

Sure, when I was first diagnosed, I had days that I couldn't walk, couldn't change a diaper, couldn't even snap snaps. When I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, my doctor told me that my RA factor was over 1400. No wonder I was in such pain. But then about 6-8 months later, I noticed that my pain "free" days were more and more. And now, I have more days that I feel "normal" and less days of "I can't do that..."

Why is that? Why does RA effect all of us so differently? I know I have it, my blood work proves it.

Maybe having birthed 8 children, I have a higher tolerance for pain ?? Maybe I am hurting but I just don't show it or am not honest with myself? During a conversation this week, a dear friend of mine said, "She always says she is fine, but we can tell she's not. She lies." And I thought, yes I do, but can they really tell when I am in pain?

Anyway, I thought I would go ahead and be honest here, in this meme. At least I think I will be honest. LOL

From RAWarrior.com:
This RA meme is about the things we might ask each other over coffee the first time. Together, the responses to the questions create a kind of snapshot of our lives with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Hopefully, it will be fun and we can get to know more about each other.

1. How many other diagnoses (co-morbidities) do you have?
   I have not gotten a specific diagnosis and no one seems to think it is important to find out. But in addition to destroying my joints, my immune system is also destroying my white blood cells. I have a white blood count of less than 1.5 usually. It isn't felty's or lupus but we don't know what it is. I see a cancer/blood specialist every 6 months or so just so that they can keep an eye on it.
2. When were you diagnosed?
    I was diagnosed October 2008. Symptoms came on right after the birth of my 8th child. Although looking back on it, I can see where some of the pains I was feeling over the years were probably early indications of RA.
   
3. How many Rheumatoid Arthritis treatments have you tried?
   I took prednisone at the beginning (for about 6 months) and started plaquinel. Truth be told, I still have a prescription for the plaquinel but I do not take it at all. It was causing migraines but when I told my doctor, he said that he didn't know that to be a side effect. I stopped taking it, migraines went away. So I am taking nothing.
4. What kind of a reward do you give yourself after taking any medicine that you hate?
   Don't take my meds.
5. Who helps you open doors or jars when you need it?
   About 15 yrs ago, my husband worked at a retirement village. He would often come home with odds and ends from the residents there. One day he came home with this gadget that has a handle and gears. It adjusts to jar lids to help you get a better grip on them. I held on to it because I thought it was really neat. I am SO glad I have it now. It sometimes doesn't help but most of the time I can open jars with it.
6. What would your ultimate good rheum doc do?
   Dig a little deeper into my immune system and not tell me the same joke everytime I go to see him. LOL
7. What’s your favorite comfort for RA?
   PJs, a good movie, and just not moving.
8. What was the hardest think you have done since being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis?
   Realizing that I cannot do everything. I need to set limits for myself and stick to them. Doing too much leads to exhaustion and usually a flare.
9. What’s your biggest RA-related fear?
   That I will pass this on to one of my children or that I will develop some serious complications from it.
10. How many pills do you swallow every day?
    For my RA, none.
11. Something surprising that you wish insurance would cover for Rheumatoid Arthritis patients?
    I don't have insurance so I guess I don't care.
12. What do you wish people knew about Rheumatoid Arthritis?
    That my RA isn't like their aches and pains. That the weather doesn't bother me. That sometimes just touching my joints is painful.
13. What would you like to say to your RA? Thanks for dropping by, you can leave now. LOL

Let’s hear your responses to the RA Warrior meme!

Please write up your answers to the questions in the comments box below. Or if you have your own blog, you are welcome to take our Warrior meme to your own page. Please just link back here to give credit. Another thing you can do is write up the meme as a Facebook note with a privacy setting that says “EVERYONE can read” and then tell us about it with a link in a comment here. I can’t wait to read them.

Cheap Diapers

One of my favorite deals is cheap diapers. After almost 20 years though, I am hoping that I won't NEED diaper deals too much longer. Today I went to 2 drug stores and did 3 transactions.

I haven't shopped at Rite Aid much since they took over Eckerd but I wanted to get some cheap/free diapers this week (and it is right next to my favorite liquor store so it was a win-win).

I was disappointed to see that they were out of the Pure and Natural Huggies for which I had $3 coupons. But I still went ahead with my transaction.

1 box of Huggies 19.99
1 jumbo pack of Huggies 8.99

Used $5 off $25 coupon from watching Rite Aid Value video and a $1 off coupon from also watching video on website.

Total was 24.31 and I got back $2 +UP Reward (which are like ECBs at CVS). And I will send for the $10 gift card from Rite Aid for spending $25. So I guess I could take off $12 from my total making it about $12. The jumbo pack of diapers are usually 11.99 so I could say that I got the box of diapers free.

Then I headed to CVS. Normally, when I go there on Saturdays, I am disappointed because there is nothing left or the signs are changed already. Today, the signs were changed but they still had plenty of stuff left. Another nice surprise was when I checked the magic coupon machine, I got about 10 coupons--including one for $3 off $20 purchase good for one day only! I used that one for sure!

First I got the Revlon Super Luster lipstick. It was 6.99 with $5 ECBs back! And the limit was 6 according to the paper--I heard rumors that it was unlimited! I only had 3 coupons and we don't really wear lipstick so I only got three.

Lipstick 20.98
1 Beauty charm 2.49
1 pk of gum (not pictured) 1.29

Used coupons:
$3 off $20
$2.49 off (free charm for buying $15 in beauty products)
$5 (3 Revlon coupons)
$14.98 in ECBs

Total OOP: 52 cents (I had a negative total which is why we added the gum.)
And got back $15 in ECBs for basically, this was all free.

At the next CVS, I got:
2 pks of Huggies 17.98
2 Edge Shaving gel 2.79 each
2 Dry Idea deoderant 2.99 each

Used coupons:
2 $1 off deoderant
BOGO free for the Edge (coupon value only went up to 2.75 so it was totally free. LOL)
2 1.50  for the huggies.
$15 ECBs from previous transaction

Total OOP: 8.86
Got back 8.80 back in ECBs. Almost broke even.

I used to stress if I ended the week with less ECBs than what I started with but I am finding that it is OK. I am trying very hard to get my out of pocket down. I am getting better I think.

CVS~~September 16 and 17

I managed TWO trips to CVS this week. I am finding that if I am going to be more serious about my frugal shopping, I really need to set time aside each week to get my stuff together. I didn't do that this week for CVS. I threw my stuff together right before I was running out the door for a meeting. The meeting was across the street from a CVS so I knew I could stop there.

  

This was the first trip to CVS. I got the Tylenol Precise (5.99 get $2 ECB back); High Octane Energy Chews (1.99 get 1.99 ECB back) and Alive Vitamins (9.99 get 9.99 ECB back). I used a $2 CVS coupon for the Precise and a $1 off coupon for the vitamins. I ended up adding a pack of gum to the mix. I paid 1.18 out of pocket (which was ALL tax) and got back 13.98 in ECBs for next time.

 

 This morning I popped in to a different CVS. I bought 4 Air Wick fresheners and a Nivea men's body wash. I had 2 BOGO coupons for the Air Wick but the cashier told me that they were limiting those to just one per customer. I thought about having her ring up two separate transactions but just did the one. So I used the BOGO coupon (2.50 off) and 2 $1 coupons for the Air Wick. I also had a $1 off for the body wash. My sub-total came to 9.49 and I was trying to use my 9.99 ECB so we added another pack of gum. LOL I paid a total of 1.88 out of pcoket (1.09 of that was tax). I got back 10.99 in ECBs.

So in total I paid 3.06 out of pocket. And I have 14.98 ECBs for next time.