Well, I am going to CVS today, still trying to get back into the swing of things. I do feel remnants of normalcy returning to my life, and I am thankful. I think that I will look back on this summer, and it will be a fog in my mind because I have spent most of it just "getting by."
But with phenigran in my system and many first trimester weeks behind me, I am attempting to get our budget back on track.
Last week I spent 30.00 out of pocket at CVS to give myself a jump start, and as a result I have 12.00 in ECBs to spend.
Here is my plan
Lots of school supplies because our church collects school supplies in the fall for local children
2 notebooks @ .99 each
3 packs of pens @ .99 each
2 pairs of scissors @ 2.99 each
2 things of glue @ .99 each
12.91 total
-12.00 ECBs
=.91 oop (plus tax)
I will get back 12.00 in ECBs
then I am going to buy
1 Gillette Fusion Razor @ 7.99-3.00 coupon=4.99
1 bottle of Gain detergent @ 6.00
4 boxes of Electrasol Power dishwashing tabs @ 3.99 -4 2.50 coupons=1.49 each
total=16.95
-12.00 ECBs
=4.95 OOP
and I should walk away with 6.00 in ECBs from the Gain and the razor.
Showing posts with label CVS deals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CVS deals. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
How This Whole Couponing Thing Started
I often get questions about my couponing, and I realize that I have never done a step-by-step explanation on my blog. Couponing has changed our budget so much, that I am rather passionate about sharing "the skill" with other people. Especially those families who are struggling to make ends meet each month. I truly believe that the Lord showed me how to coupon, and it has enabled us to save so much money each month all while having more food in our house than we have ever had.
So anyway, here we go.
Probably a year ago, maybe even less time than that because last summer I wasn't couponing yet, I was reading a blog (I can't remember which one, maybe this one?) I noticed that this mom was spending 40 dollars week on groceries to feed her family of six (I think I have that number right. I know that her family was much larger than my little family of three), and I thought to myself, "this is crazy. I am spending over 100.00 each week, and I still feel like we have nothing to eat." I was determined to learn how this mom was doing it!! I kept telling Scott about it because I was so amazed by it. 40.00 a week seemed impossible. I knew that she was couponing, but I didn't really understand the process of couponing. I was all about clipping coupons, but I didn't understand how a .50 coupon here and 1.00 coupon there was really going to transform our budget.
The more involved in the blog world I became, the more I realized that many families had cut their budgets in half using coupons, and I was intrigued. I began to research and read and look into every resource I could find, so that I could understand how to make couponing work for our family.
This same blog provided a CVS primer, so that seemed an easy place to start. So before I even began to think about conquering the grocery store world, I began by making one measly little purchase at CVS. I signed up for a CVS card, I looked through a CVS weekly circular, and I picked one item that was free after ECBs, and I walked into the store and bought it. It was a fairly cool feeling to get back the same amount of money (in CVS extra bucks, which can only be used at CVS) that I spent. And I was hooked. So, if you have never couponed at all, I highly suggest starting at CVS. This will build up your toiletries stockpile, and that alone will save money at the grocery store.
This month at CVS there are no free items, but you can get ECBs for toothpaste or soap. Who doesn't need toothpaste or soap? Remember, you are building a stockpile, so don't ask yourself if you need these things right now, ask yourself if you will need these things ever. And to really take advantage of the ECB deals, you want to use a coupon to lower your out of pocket expense. Let me explain. Right now at CVS, Colgate is on sale for 3.99, and you will receive 2.00 in ECBs when you purchase the toothpaste. Let's say that you had a 1.00 coupon. You would then pay 2.99 up front, and you would receive 2.00 in ECBs, which works like a coupon for your next purchase. It's like you are paying .99 for a tube of toothpaste. You see? Don't be discouraged if you don't have a coupon (you can print one above), though. I had no coupons when I started at CVS, and it still was a great way for me to get started. If you are completely new to couponing, and you are interested in getting started, I suggest looking through the CVS circular and picking a few ECB items to purchase this week. In the mean time, go ahead and start buying the Sunday paper. Many places sell them in a bundle, so that you get two newspapers for the price of one paper plus .50.
p.s. If you are ready to jump in and are wanting more details, Tutti has done a couponing series over at her blog that I think is super helpful. Check it out. (I will talk later about how it helps to have couponing friends. Comparing notes with someone really helps me to get the best deal.)
So anyway, here we go.
Probably a year ago, maybe even less time than that because last summer I wasn't couponing yet, I was reading a blog (I can't remember which one, maybe this one?) I noticed that this mom was spending 40 dollars week on groceries to feed her family of six (I think I have that number right. I know that her family was much larger than my little family of three), and I thought to myself, "this is crazy. I am spending over 100.00 each week, and I still feel like we have nothing to eat." I was determined to learn how this mom was doing it!! I kept telling Scott about it because I was so amazed by it. 40.00 a week seemed impossible. I knew that she was couponing, but I didn't really understand the process of couponing. I was all about clipping coupons, but I didn't understand how a .50 coupon here and 1.00 coupon there was really going to transform our budget.
The more involved in the blog world I became, the more I realized that many families had cut their budgets in half using coupons, and I was intrigued. I began to research and read and look into every resource I could find, so that I could understand how to make couponing work for our family.
This same blog provided a CVS primer, so that seemed an easy place to start. So before I even began to think about conquering the grocery store world, I began by making one measly little purchase at CVS. I signed up for a CVS card, I looked through a CVS weekly circular, and I picked one item that was free after ECBs, and I walked into the store and bought it. It was a fairly cool feeling to get back the same amount of money (in CVS extra bucks, which can only be used at CVS) that I spent. And I was hooked. So, if you have never couponed at all, I highly suggest starting at CVS. This will build up your toiletries stockpile, and that alone will save money at the grocery store.
This month at CVS there are no free items, but you can get ECBs for toothpaste or soap. Who doesn't need toothpaste or soap? Remember, you are building a stockpile, so don't ask yourself if you need these things right now, ask yourself if you will need these things ever. And to really take advantage of the ECB deals, you want to use a coupon to lower your out of pocket expense. Let me explain. Right now at CVS, Colgate is on sale for 3.99, and you will receive 2.00 in ECBs when you purchase the toothpaste. Let's say that you had a 1.00 coupon. You would then pay 2.99 up front, and you would receive 2.00 in ECBs, which works like a coupon for your next purchase. It's like you are paying .99 for a tube of toothpaste. You see? Don't be discouraged if you don't have a coupon (you can print one above), though. I had no coupons when I started at CVS, and it still was a great way for me to get started. If you are completely new to couponing, and you are interested in getting started, I suggest looking through the CVS circular and picking a few ECB items to purchase this week. In the mean time, go ahead and start buying the Sunday paper. Many places sell them in a bundle, so that you get two newspapers for the price of one paper plus .50.
p.s. If you are ready to jump in and are wanting more details, Tutti has done a couponing series over at her blog that I think is super helpful. Check it out. (I will talk later about how it helps to have couponing friends. Comparing notes with someone really helps me to get the best deal.)
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Back to the Basics
CVS is where my couponing addiction began. I used to know the workers by name, and then, before I knew it was happening, Kroger and Publix and even Walgreens began to steal my attention. In fact, it's been several weeks since I have even done any CVS deals. I mostly shop at Publix these days. Well, I started thumbing through the CVS flier today after I got my Sunday paper, and I decided that it was time for CVS and me to reunite, so I am headed that way in just a few minutes.
Here is my plan
1 Fructis Shampoo @ 2.99
-2.00 cpn (Kroger mailer)
=.99 OOP, and I will receive 2.00 in ECBs
15.00 worth of Eucerin lotion (I plan to purchase the lotion containing SPF 15 for the upcoming beach trip and for the summer)=not sure of prices, but I have 4 1.00 off coupons, and I will receive 5.00 in ECBs
1 Schick Intuition Razor @ 8.99
-4.00 CPN (from today's paper)
=4.99 OOP, and I will receive 4.00 back in ECBs
I am then going to combine all of my ECBs and splurge on a 16 pack of Charmin toilet paper (I love Charmin toilet paper, but I rarely buy it b/c of the cost), and I will receive 2.00 in ECBs from that purchase. The toilet paper is on sale for 9.99, so I should walk out of CVS with 4.00 in ECBs. We'll see how it goes.
I am also headed to Publix for the penny item, which is bottled water, something I can definitely use more of!! And Kroger has a deal that if you buy 3 cases of diet coke, you receive 2 free bags of Kroger brand potato chips, so I am also stopping by there. Unfortunately we love both diet coke and potato chips around our house. What can I say, we are quite the health nuts;).
Okay, time to do some couponing. I will chat with ya'll later.
And to keep the fam interested, here's a picture (or three) of little missy playing at the park. She is all confidence and spunk these days, and she is keeping my hands full.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
CVS craziness
Well, it is super early on a Saturday morning--5:23 am to be exact. There is a pattern in my life where I get in "can't sleep" cycles. It usually happens unintentionally--I have a week where I don't get much sleep for one reason or another, then I begin to feel the affects of no sleep, then I feel the desperate need to catch up on sleep, and then I can't sleep because I am thinking so much about how I need to sleep. So...that's just a little glimpse into how my crazy mind works. I have learned over the years that it is better to get up and do something rather than just lie in bed worrying about not being asleep. Besides, it is Saturday, and my sweet husband will let me sleep in whenever I am finally able to go back to sleep. I have every intention of being somewhat rested when this day is over.
But, for now, I blog.
Yesterday was a record day at CVS. It was pure craziness, ya'll. I started the day with 20.00 in ECBs (extra care bucks), so that put me ahead from the very beginning. I rarely have that many accumulated at one time. On top of those 20 ECBs, I had a coupon for 5 off of 25, so there was obvious potential for some serious money saved.
Here is what I did
3 cases of diet pepsi--10.00
2 bags of Stacey's pita chips--6.00
2 bags of Lay's potato chips--4.00
3 bottles of maalox--@ 5.79 each
1 Benefiber chewables--6.89
-2x 1.00 off Maalox (when I am pregnant, maalox is my lifesaver, so I am stocking up, just in case I need it again in the future.)
-1x 2.00 off Maalox
-CVS coupon 5.00 off 2 maalox
-2.00 off Benefiber
-CVS coupon 3.00 off of Benefiber (no idea what Benefiber is or does, but it was a potential money maker for me, so I bought it)
-2 x 1.50 off of Pita Chips
-19.00 ECBs
-5.00 CVS coupon
total before coupons and ECBs=55.30
total after coupons and ECBs=8.57
ECBs generated from this transaction=20.00 (10 from the Pepsi products, 10 from the Maalox/benefiber products)
2nd Transaction
Again, I started with 20.00 and a 5/25.00 CVS coupon
1 Schick Intuition Razor=8.99
1 Gillette Shampoo=4.99
1 Gillette Shampoo=4.99
1 Gillette Fusion Gamer Razor=7.99
1 Almay Powder=12.79
1 CVS wipes=3.29 (we just needed these)
-1.00 off Almay
-2.00 off Gillette Shampoo
-4.99 off Gillette Shampoo (coupon for free shampoo with purchase of razor)
-2.00 off Intuition Razor
-4.00 off Gillette Fusion Razor
-5.00 CVS coupon
-20.00 ECBs
Total before coupons and ECBs=49.30
Total after coupons and ECBs=4.31
Total ECBs generated=19.00, plus a 5/25.00 coupon (3.00 from each of the Gillette Shampoo, 4.00 from each of the razors, 5.00 from the Almay makeup)
So, bottom line, I got 100.00 worth of merchandise for about 12.00. Ya'll, this couponing stuff, it's a high. I am telling you. Sad, I know, but so very true.
The best part is, I still have 19.00 in ECBs. Because I am attempting to not grocery shop and eat out of our stockpile, I think I am going to use the 19.00 to buy any necessities we might have for the week. It is more expensive to buy groceries at CVS, but since it will be no money out of pocket, it is really better for our bank account. If I really can make it without grocery shopping this week, my total on groceries for the week will be 12.00!!! A personal record. I think it can be done, thanks to couponing and the CVS game.
Here you will see how others did at CVS this week.
But, for now, I blog.
Yesterday was a record day at CVS. It was pure craziness, ya'll. I started the day with 20.00 in ECBs (extra care bucks), so that put me ahead from the very beginning. I rarely have that many accumulated at one time. On top of those 20 ECBs, I had a coupon for 5 off of 25, so there was obvious potential for some serious money saved.
Here is what I did
3 cases of diet pepsi--10.00
2 bags of Stacey's pita chips--6.00
2 bags of Lay's potato chips--4.00
3 bottles of maalox--@ 5.79 each
1 Benefiber chewables--6.89
-2x 1.00 off Maalox (when I am pregnant, maalox is my lifesaver, so I am stocking up, just in case I need it again in the future.)
-1x 2.00 off Maalox
-CVS coupon 5.00 off 2 maalox
-2.00 off Benefiber
-CVS coupon 3.00 off of Benefiber (no idea what Benefiber is or does, but it was a potential money maker for me, so I bought it)
-2 x 1.50 off of Pita Chips
-19.00 ECBs
-5.00 CVS coupon
total before coupons and ECBs=55.30
total after coupons and ECBs=8.57
ECBs generated from this transaction=20.00 (10 from the Pepsi products, 10 from the Maalox/benefiber products)
2nd Transaction
Again, I started with 20.00 and a 5/25.00 CVS coupon
1 Schick Intuition Razor=8.99
1 Gillette Shampoo=4.99
1 Gillette Shampoo=4.99
1 Gillette Fusion Gamer Razor=7.99
1 Almay Powder=12.79
1 CVS wipes=3.29 (we just needed these)
-1.00 off Almay
-2.00 off Gillette Shampoo
-4.99 off Gillette Shampoo (coupon for free shampoo with purchase of razor)
-2.00 off Intuition Razor
-4.00 off Gillette Fusion Razor
-5.00 CVS coupon
-20.00 ECBs
Total before coupons and ECBs=49.30
Total after coupons and ECBs=4.31
Total ECBs generated=19.00, plus a 5/25.00 coupon (3.00 from each of the Gillette Shampoo, 4.00 from each of the razors, 5.00 from the Almay makeup)
So, bottom line, I got 100.00 worth of merchandise for about 12.00. Ya'll, this couponing stuff, it's a high. I am telling you. Sad, I know, but so very true.
The best part is, I still have 19.00 in ECBs. Because I am attempting to not grocery shop and eat out of our stockpile, I think I am going to use the 19.00 to buy any necessities we might have for the week. It is more expensive to buy groceries at CVS, but since it will be no money out of pocket, it is really better for our bank account. If I really can make it without grocery shopping this week, my total on groceries for the week will be 12.00!!! A personal record. I think it can be done, thanks to couponing and the CVS game.
Here you will see how others did at CVS this week.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Oh how I love CVS
Though I did well with the grocery shopping this weekend, a few "extra" situations have caused the grocery money to dwindle for the next two weeks--dinner out with friends, co-hosting a baby shower, etc. etc, so I am determined to get super creative with all of the stock piled items that I already have in the pantry.
I had this big plan to do my stock pile shopping, then meal plan, then go out to buy the few extras I needed on top of what was already in the pantry and fridge. Problem is, after the stockpiling and eating out and baby showering, there is zero cash left. So...I made a list of everything that is in my pantry and fridge, and I am going to see what I can do with what I already have. The good news is that I have quite a bit to work with, and it's sort of fun to do this. Like a challenge.
But before I go into all that, I must share a story that represents why I love CVS so much.
I am quite the regular at my local CVS. I have three within five minutes of my house, but there is one that I go to the most regularly, and the workers have gotten to know Ada and me. There is one worker in particular,who I have become quite chummy with. She helps me figure out how to stretch my ECBs, and we compare notes on couponing and deal finding. Well, today I went in to CVS with a total of 20 dollars left in the budget, and I needed at least 5.00 left over after my shopping trip. So 15.00 to spend. I had a 3 off 15 coupon, but it expired yesterday. (I didn't realize that until I was in the car on the way to CVS). As soon as I entered the store, I spotted "my lady," and I asked her if I could still use it. She told me to find her when I was ready to check out and she would take care of it. So, I figured out my transactions, and headed to the front. Here are my transactions
First
4 bottles of baby tylenol=6.00 each
- 2 2.50 off of two coupons
-4 ECBs
-3/15.00 coupon
total OOP=13.15
Received 10 ECBs
Second Transaction
CVS baby wipes 2.00
1 twin pack Ziploc freezer bags 5.99
1 twin pack Fiber One bars 6.99
- 2 .50 off Fiber One
- 1 3.00 off CVS coupon
-10 ECBs
Total OOP=1.19
Received 5 ECBs
So, at this point I had reached my cash limit, but Scott and I made a joint decision to go ahead with the next transaction and use the debit card. I was glad he was there because I would have been stressed out:)
3rd Transaction
4 Welchs White Grape juice @ 2.99 each
2 Johnsons Vanilla Oatmeal Baby wash @ 2.99 each
1 Atlanta Journal Constitution @ 2.00
-3 1.00 off Welch's (sadly, I couldn't find my fourth)
-2 2.00 off Johnson's
-5 ECBs
=8.71 OOP
Okay, so a good deal, right? Well, I wasn't planning on buying the Johnson's products because they aren't a need. I use the wash as bubble bath for Ada, and it's something I rarely buy. I had 1.00 off Johnson's coupons, but I planned to use those to purchase free buddies soap. Well, my sweet cashier asked me if I had gotten the Johnson's 2.00 coupons off of the BJ's insert in this past week's paper. I responded that I didn't know I could use BJs coupons at CVS. And she told me that as long as the coupon says manufacturers coupon, it can be used anywhere. And then she turned around, pulled out her coupon stash, and she handed me two Johnson's coupons!! I then ran to the back and got the vanilla baby wash. And that, my friends, is why I love my CVS!! I purchased two bottles of Johnson's baby wash for .99 each because my kind cashier gave me her coupons!! Isn't that a great couponing story? Scott said that when I ran to the back to get the wash, he told the cashier that I should pay her for all of her help. And she responded, "no way, we are all one big family." That made me laugh. We are, aren't we? A big couponing, cvsing family. Ha:)
Back to the BJs coupons, though. I may be wrong, but I think this means that you can use the Publix 3.00 off Similac from this past week's paper at any store!! So that means a store where it may have a cheaper shelf price. It's worth a shot!! I usually discard the BJs coupons without even seeing what they are. No more my friends. (If you aren't familiar, BJs is a warehouse store similar to Costco)
I will be back later to discuss stockpile purchases and what I am cooking for the next two weeks, using that stockpile. If you aren't a CVSer already, please let the above story inspire you to become one.
And for more CVS scenarios, check out The Centsible Sawyer.
I had this big plan to do my stock pile shopping, then meal plan, then go out to buy the few extras I needed on top of what was already in the pantry and fridge. Problem is, after the stockpiling and eating out and baby showering, there is zero cash left. So...I made a list of everything that is in my pantry and fridge, and I am going to see what I can do with what I already have. The good news is that I have quite a bit to work with, and it's sort of fun to do this. Like a challenge.
But before I go into all that, I must share a story that represents why I love CVS so much.
I am quite the regular at my local CVS. I have three within five minutes of my house, but there is one that I go to the most regularly, and the workers have gotten to know Ada and me. There is one worker in particular,who I have become quite chummy with. She helps me figure out how to stretch my ECBs, and we compare notes on couponing and deal finding. Well, today I went in to CVS with a total of 20 dollars left in the budget, and I needed at least 5.00 left over after my shopping trip. So 15.00 to spend. I had a 3 off 15 coupon, but it expired yesterday. (I didn't realize that until I was in the car on the way to CVS). As soon as I entered the store, I spotted "my lady," and I asked her if I could still use it. She told me to find her when I was ready to check out and she would take care of it. So, I figured out my transactions, and headed to the front. Here are my transactions
First
4 bottles of baby tylenol=6.00 each
- 2 2.50 off of two coupons
-4 ECBs
-3/15.00 coupon
total OOP=13.15
Received 10 ECBs
Second Transaction
CVS baby wipes 2.00
1 twin pack Ziploc freezer bags 5.99
1 twin pack Fiber One bars 6.99
- 2 .50 off Fiber One
- 1 3.00 off CVS coupon
-10 ECBs
Total OOP=1.19
Received 5 ECBs
So, at this point I had reached my cash limit, but Scott and I made a joint decision to go ahead with the next transaction and use the debit card. I was glad he was there because I would have been stressed out:)
3rd Transaction
4 Welchs White Grape juice @ 2.99 each
2 Johnsons Vanilla Oatmeal Baby wash @ 2.99 each
1 Atlanta Journal Constitution @ 2.00
-3 1.00 off Welch's (sadly, I couldn't find my fourth)
-2 2.00 off Johnson's
-5 ECBs
=8.71 OOP
Okay, so a good deal, right? Well, I wasn't planning on buying the Johnson's products because they aren't a need. I use the wash as bubble bath for Ada, and it's something I rarely buy. I had 1.00 off Johnson's coupons, but I planned to use those to purchase free buddies soap. Well, my sweet cashier asked me if I had gotten the Johnson's 2.00 coupons off of the BJ's insert in this past week's paper. I responded that I didn't know I could use BJs coupons at CVS. And she told me that as long as the coupon says manufacturers coupon, it can be used anywhere. And then she turned around, pulled out her coupon stash, and she handed me two Johnson's coupons!! I then ran to the back and got the vanilla baby wash. And that, my friends, is why I love my CVS!! I purchased two bottles of Johnson's baby wash for .99 each because my kind cashier gave me her coupons!! Isn't that a great couponing story? Scott said that when I ran to the back to get the wash, he told the cashier that I should pay her for all of her help. And she responded, "no way, we are all one big family." That made me laugh. We are, aren't we? A big couponing, cvsing family. Ha:)
Back to the BJs coupons, though. I may be wrong, but I think this means that you can use the Publix 3.00 off Similac from this past week's paper at any store!! So that means a store where it may have a cheaper shelf price. It's worth a shot!! I usually discard the BJs coupons without even seeing what they are. No more my friends. (If you aren't familiar, BJs is a warehouse store similar to Costco)
I will be back later to discuss stockpile purchases and what I am cooking for the next two weeks, using that stockpile. If you aren't a CVSer already, please let the above story inspire you to become one.
And for more CVS scenarios, check out The Centsible Sawyer.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
The coupons are rolling in
Okay ya'll, I just picked up the early edition of the Sunday paper, and the coupons are so very good. In one paper (not a double issue) I got two red plum inserts, two smart source inserts, and a General Mills coupon insert. It's worth buying multiple copies of the paper this week, even if you don't normally do it. It may also be worth a dumpster dive:)
Here are the best deals I am seeing--
In one of the Red Plum inserts, there is a 1.00 off Johnson's coupon, including Johnson's buddies products. Wal-Mart and Target carry Johnson's buddies soap for a dollar when on sale, so stock up on these, and get lots of free soap for the kiddos. Other stores carry the soap, but they are usually a bit more than a dollar. You could still get some super cheap soap using the coupon, though.
The General Mills insert has a .50 off Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers. These often go on sale for 1.00 at Kroger, and with a doubled coupon, that equals free vegetables. Again this means collect multiple coupons and stock up on the freebies!! I will let you know as soon as I hear that Kroger is having the sale. And if I here of other stores where they are on sale for 1.00, I will let you know. Do they go on sale for 1.00 at Publix? Does anyone know?
Also...if you live near a CVS, check out the Christmas 75% off section. They have a lot of chocolate candy on sale for .75 a piece. Combined with a coupon that could be almost free. This is great for baking, and for snacking:)
I haven't gone through all of the coupons yet, but those are the ones catching my eye. It's a great way to start the year, lots and lots of money saved.
If you are new to couponing or to the CVS game go here and here to get started.
Here are the best deals I am seeing--
In one of the Red Plum inserts, there is a 1.00 off Johnson's coupon, including Johnson's buddies products. Wal-Mart and Target carry Johnson's buddies soap for a dollar when on sale, so stock up on these, and get lots of free soap for the kiddos. Other stores carry the soap, but they are usually a bit more than a dollar. You could still get some super cheap soap using the coupon, though.
The General Mills insert has a .50 off Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers. These often go on sale for 1.00 at Kroger, and with a doubled coupon, that equals free vegetables. Again this means collect multiple coupons and stock up on the freebies!! I will let you know as soon as I hear that Kroger is having the sale. And if I here of other stores where they are on sale for 1.00, I will let you know. Do they go on sale for 1.00 at Publix? Does anyone know?
Also...if you live near a CVS, check out the Christmas 75% off section. They have a lot of chocolate candy on sale for .75 a piece. Combined with a coupon that could be almost free. This is great for baking, and for snacking:)
I haven't gone through all of the coupons yet, but those are the ones catching my eye. It's a great way to start the year, lots and lots of money saved.
If you are new to couponing or to the CVS game go here and here to get started.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
So much I want to blog about, but I will start with CVS
Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone.
Black Friday has come and gone.
Vacation has come and gone.
Vacation has come and gone.
And we are staring at the start of another normal week, except the Christmas Season has officially begun. And I love the Christmas season!! Because I was out of town, I was too late to sign up for any online tutoring hours, so I am looking at some free evening hours this week, which will be spent cleaning and decorating and transforming this home into a little Winter Wonderland. Or, I will at least be decorating a tree. But before all of that talk, there is much more that I want to share, starting with the fact that I am once again able to take and post pictures, so my blog will be slightly less boring from here on out. Thanks to my friend, Ashley, who has kindly let us borrow a camera until we find the means to purchase one. You will be seeing a lot more of this from now on...
But to be honest, this is what I really want to show you.
I am joining the likes of those who post pictures of their bargains. I just can't help myself. Ann and I felt like it was Christmas morning as we entered CVS on Thursday. We were so excited over the deals just waiting to happen, and happen they did.
Scott and I arrived in Scottsboro late Wednesday night, and after sleeping in a bit and turning the kiddos over to the dads, Ann and I headed over to CVS on Thursday morning. I spent some time before we went figuring out our transactions, but because we were nervous that we would miss out on the Crockpot deal, we decided to wing it a bit, rather than spend any more time figuring transactions out. We knew what we wanted to buy, so we loaded our carts, and then we "set up camp" in an out of the way place near the cash register. Here is how it "went down." I had planned our first transaction, so Ann went first, then I went, and as I paid for my goods, Ann figured out the next transaction. And this is how we continued until everything was paid for. At one point, a customer thought Ann worked at CVS. Not so much, though we might move in if we could. And here is what we bought. For a visual, refer to the picture above.
1st transaction
1 Bic Soleil Razor 5.99
1 Schick Quatro Men's Razor 7.99
1 Colgate Total 2.99
1 Colgate Total 2.99
-3.00 Soleil coupon
-2.00 Quatro coupon
-1.00 Colgate coupon
-1.00 Colgate coupon
=14.76 OOP
received total of 17.97 in ECBs
2nd Transaction
1 Crockpot 19.99
1 Aussie Hair spray 2.99
1 Aussie gel 2.99
-2 1.00 Aussie coupons
-5.99 ECBs
-7.99 ECBs
-9.00 ECBs
=1.26 OOP
received 15.98 ECBs
3rd Transaction
1 Maybelline Mineral liquid makeup 8.99
1 Covergirl liquid makeup 7.99
1 Covergirl powder 5.99
-2.00 Maybelline coupon
-1.00 CG coupon
-1.00 CG coupon
-5.98 ECBs
-5.99 ECBs
-6.00 ECBs
=1.45 OOP
received 22.97 ECBs
4th transaction
3 dial bar soaps 5.97
2 Loreal lip glosses 13.98
-3 .30 dial coupons
-1.00 Loreal coupon
-10.00 ECB
-5.98 ECB
=2.43 OOP
received 16.98 ECBs
5th transaction
1 Hershey's Cookies n' cream 1.00
1 Playtex tampons 3.99
1 Johnson and Johnson lotion 5.69
1 Sally Hansen nail polish 3.79
1 Vaselline lotion 3.50
- 1.00 playtex coupon
- 1.00 Johnson's Lotion coupon
- 13.98 ECBs
=2.35 OOP
received 13.48 ECBs
To sum up, I bought everything in the photograph above for about 22.00 (give or take a few cents), and after rolling ECBs to keep the prices low, I still have 14.78 in ECBs.
To put things in perspective, the crockpot alone cost 20.00 OOP, but I paid 22.00 total OOP, not counting the 14.78 I still have to spend in ECBs. Incredible, I tell you.
Ann and I left CVS feeling like we needed to teach the entire world about the CVS game. It has changed our lives, or at least our grocery budgets. Seriously. Seriously.
There is so much more I want to share about Thanksgiving, and about my awesome grocery store trip today, but that will have to wait I suppose. Instead I will leave you with the sight that greets me everyday after nap time.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
CVS has outdone themselves
This is my first Black Friday of playing the CVS game, and I am overwhelmed by the deals. Have you checked out the ECB deals for Thursday-Sunday? It's blowing my mind.
Here is what is on my list of free items after ECBs.
Aussie Shampoo and Conditioner (limit of 2)--2.99
Bic Soleil Razor (limit of 3)--5.99
Johnson's Soft Lotion (limit of 1)--5.69
Covergirl Liquid Makeup (limit of 1)--7.99
CG Powder Makeup (limit of 1)--5.99
Maybelline Mineral Foundation (limit of 1)--8.99
Loreal Lip Gloss (limit of 1)--6.99
Gatorade (limit of 3)--1.49
Colgate toothpaste (limit of 2)--2.99
All of the above generates the same amount in ECBs that you pay. Which means, that combined with coupons, CVS is paying you to shop. I love it. I haven't figured out the combination of transactions that I plan to do yet, but I am excited about the prospects. What deals are you looking forward to on Black Friday?
p.s. We are searching for the Fisher Price laugh and learn house and any ride on toy for Ada's Christmas. Let me know if anyone is having a particularly good deal on these the day after Thanksgiving. Thanks!
Here is what is on my list of free items after ECBs.
Aussie Shampoo and Conditioner (limit of 2)--2.99
Bic Soleil Razor (limit of 3)--5.99
Johnson's Soft Lotion (limit of 1)--5.69
Covergirl Liquid Makeup (limit of 1)--7.99
CG Powder Makeup (limit of 1)--5.99
Maybelline Mineral Foundation (limit of 1)--8.99
Loreal Lip Gloss (limit of 1)--6.99
Gatorade (limit of 3)--1.49
Colgate toothpaste (limit of 2)--2.99
All of the above generates the same amount in ECBs that you pay. Which means, that combined with coupons, CVS is paying you to shop. I love it. I haven't figured out the combination of transactions that I plan to do yet, but I am excited about the prospects. What deals are you looking forward to on Black Friday?
p.s. We are searching for the Fisher Price laugh and learn house and any ride on toy for Ada's Christmas. Let me know if anyone is having a particularly good deal on these the day after Thanksgiving. Thanks!
Friday, November 7, 2008
Couponing, CVS, and The Grocery Game Q & A
okay, I am finally back to answer questions about all of the couponing that I do.
*side note--Ada had a very successful dirty diaper this morning--woo hoo*
okay...
1. Why do I start my menus on Friday?
Friday is pay day. My husband gets paid every Friday, and I have found that our biggest spending is done Friday-Sunday. If I start the menu on Friday, I am more likely to stick to my plan than if I end the menu with the weekend. It is pure strategy to trick my mind into not spending so much on the weekend. Plus, I love Friday mornings because Ada and I are out of the house doing our weekly round at the various grocery stores.
2. What about shopping at Sam's or other discount clubs?
Scott and I used to be members of Costco, and we did enjoy buying meat, paper products such as toilet paper and such, and computer paper there. This was back when I was teaching, and I would use up the paper given to me by the school about a month into the school year. After that I was on my own. (No one tells you in college how much money you will pay out of pocket when teaching). Anyway...that was before I "couponed," so I really don't know. Readers, what do you think? Are the discount clubs better for saving overall? I do know that Teri over at the Grocery Game suggests shopping at discount clubs for basics like milk and eggs, since these typically do not go on sale at the grocery store.
3. Is the Grocery Game worth it? How much does it cost?
For one store, it costs 10.00 every three months. So, a bit over 3.00 a month. Totally worth it, considering that I save at least 30.00 a week using the Grocery Game, which equals 120.00 a month. And I am only paying 3.00 a month.
Now, there are women out there who do not need the Grocery Game. For me, it saves my time and sanity. I think it depends on personality. It does a lot of the work for me, and that is what I am paying for.
p.s. if you want to add more than one store, it costs 5.00 per store every 3 months. So, I pay 15.00 every three months for the list for Kroger and CVS. I am about to cancel CVS, though, because that one is easy for me to do myself.
4. Finally, how do I figure out ECBs?
Okay, this will be a long answer because I am going to explain through example. If you are really interested in starting the CVS game, get your circular out to look at as you read this answer.
First make sure you have the right circular for this week. This circular is good through Saturday. On the cover you will find diet coke front and center. To know which items produce ECBs, look for the yellow box. For example, look at the picture of diet coke. You will see in white the words, you pay 4/12$ with the card. So you will pay 12.00 OOP (out of pocket). Then in white you will see, extra bucks reward on 4, 3.00. So, you will pay 12.00 for 4 cases of diet coke, but you will receive 3.00 back. The big yellow box will say, 4/9.00 after ECBS. This means, that counting the 3.00 you get back, it's like paying 9.00 for 4 cases. Remember, the 3.00 ECBs will print off at the bottom of your receipt.
Okay, let me walk you through my transactions today. It was a record day, folks.
I started with 8.00 worth of ECBs from last week's purchase. Pampers were on sale 2/20.00. I also had 3.00 worth of Pampers coupons, so...
Pampers = 20.00
-8.00 ECBs
-3.00 manufacturers coupons (found in the Sunday paper)
total OOP=9.00 (for two packs of Pampers!!!)
received 5.00 ECBs for purchasing 20.00 worth of Pampers
are you following me?
I then bought 2 bottles of Oil of Olay body wash=12.00
-5.00 ECBs
-4.00 manufacturers coupons
total OOP=3.00
received 5.00 ECBs
then, 4 cases of diet coke=12.00
-5.00 ECBs
total OOP=7.00
received 3.00 ECBs
then, 1 tube of Crest Pro-Health toothpaste=3.49
3 bags of halloween candy 75% off=4.00
total=7.49
-1.00 Crest coupon
-3.00 ECBs
total OOP=3.49
received 3.49 ECBs
I rolled those ECBs three more times, walking away with a total of 4 tubes of toothpaste and 3.49 ECBs good for next week's purchase.
Did all of that make sense?
For a little over 20.00, I bought 2 packs of Pampers, 4 cases of diet coke, 3 bags of candy, 2 bottles of body wash, and 4 tubes of toothpaste.
I had to do seven total transactions, but the cashier was very gracious about it, and I thanked her many times for her patience. Plus, I got to CVS before 8 am to make sure I wouldn't be holding up the line. Ada was up at 6 am, so it was not hard to make it there that early.
Again, feel free to ask any more questions. I really think the CVS game saves so much money, and it is fun seeing how much you can buy for how small an amount of money.
For more frugal ideas, check out Frugal Fridays. And more specifically, for other CVS scenarios check out The "Cent"sible Sawyer.
*side note--Ada had a very successful dirty diaper this morning--woo hoo*
okay...
1. Why do I start my menus on Friday?
Friday is pay day. My husband gets paid every Friday, and I have found that our biggest spending is done Friday-Sunday. If I start the menu on Friday, I am more likely to stick to my plan than if I end the menu with the weekend. It is pure strategy to trick my mind into not spending so much on the weekend. Plus, I love Friday mornings because Ada and I are out of the house doing our weekly round at the various grocery stores.
2. What about shopping at Sam's or other discount clubs?
Scott and I used to be members of Costco, and we did enjoy buying meat, paper products such as toilet paper and such, and computer paper there. This was back when I was teaching, and I would use up the paper given to me by the school about a month into the school year. After that I was on my own. (No one tells you in college how much money you will pay out of pocket when teaching). Anyway...that was before I "couponed," so I really don't know. Readers, what do you think? Are the discount clubs better for saving overall? I do know that Teri over at the Grocery Game suggests shopping at discount clubs for basics like milk and eggs, since these typically do not go on sale at the grocery store.
3. Is the Grocery Game worth it? How much does it cost?
For one store, it costs 10.00 every three months. So, a bit over 3.00 a month. Totally worth it, considering that I save at least 30.00 a week using the Grocery Game, which equals 120.00 a month. And I am only paying 3.00 a month.
Now, there are women out there who do not need the Grocery Game. For me, it saves my time and sanity. I think it depends on personality. It does a lot of the work for me, and that is what I am paying for.
p.s. if you want to add more than one store, it costs 5.00 per store every 3 months. So, I pay 15.00 every three months for the list for Kroger and CVS. I am about to cancel CVS, though, because that one is easy for me to do myself.
4. Finally, how do I figure out ECBs?
Okay, this will be a long answer because I am going to explain through example. If you are really interested in starting the CVS game, get your circular out to look at as you read this answer.
First make sure you have the right circular for this week. This circular is good through Saturday. On the cover you will find diet coke front and center. To know which items produce ECBs, look for the yellow box. For example, look at the picture of diet coke. You will see in white the words, you pay 4/12$ with the card. So you will pay 12.00 OOP (out of pocket). Then in white you will see, extra bucks reward on 4, 3.00. So, you will pay 12.00 for 4 cases of diet coke, but you will receive 3.00 back. The big yellow box will say, 4/9.00 after ECBS. This means, that counting the 3.00 you get back, it's like paying 9.00 for 4 cases. Remember, the 3.00 ECBs will print off at the bottom of your receipt.
Okay, let me walk you through my transactions today. It was a record day, folks.
I started with 8.00 worth of ECBs from last week's purchase. Pampers were on sale 2/20.00. I also had 3.00 worth of Pampers coupons, so...
Pampers = 20.00
-8.00 ECBs
-3.00 manufacturers coupons (found in the Sunday paper)
total OOP=9.00 (for two packs of Pampers!!!)
received 5.00 ECBs for purchasing 20.00 worth of Pampers
are you following me?
I then bought 2 bottles of Oil of Olay body wash=12.00
-5.00 ECBs
-4.00 manufacturers coupons
total OOP=3.00
received 5.00 ECBs
then, 4 cases of diet coke=12.00
-5.00 ECBs
total OOP=7.00
received 3.00 ECBs
then, 1 tube of Crest Pro-Health toothpaste=3.49
3 bags of halloween candy 75% off=4.00
total=7.49
-1.00 Crest coupon
-3.00 ECBs
total OOP=3.49
received 3.49 ECBs
I rolled those ECBs three more times, walking away with a total of 4 tubes of toothpaste and 3.49 ECBs good for next week's purchase.
Did all of that make sense?
For a little over 20.00, I bought 2 packs of Pampers, 4 cases of diet coke, 3 bags of candy, 2 bottles of body wash, and 4 tubes of toothpaste.
I had to do seven total transactions, but the cashier was very gracious about it, and I thanked her many times for her patience. Plus, I got to CVS before 8 am to make sure I wouldn't be holding up the line. Ada was up at 6 am, so it was not hard to make it there that early.
Again, feel free to ask any more questions. I really think the CVS game saves so much money, and it is fun seeing how much you can buy for how small an amount of money.
For more frugal ideas, check out Frugal Fridays. And more specifically, for other CVS scenarios check out The "Cent"sible Sawyer.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Hints for starting the CVS game
okay...I have to share these thoughts and then I promise to post on a few things that are non-money related, so that I don't lose the few readers that I actually do have. Stick with me; you really might benefit from what I am about to say.
If you have never played the CVS game, I am going to walk you through how to get started. Once you start, you will be addicted.
First you need to sign up for a CVS card. You can do this online or in the store. If you do it online, it will come in the mail in just a few days. Once you have a card, you need to pick up a circular (the little booklet with the list of sales) from a CVS store, or you can find it in the Sunday paper. Each month there is one item that you can purchase and receive that same amount of money back in Extra Care Bucks (ECBs). This month you can purchase a tube of Crest Pro-Health toothpaste for 3.49, and you will receive 3.49 back in ECBs. For new players, your ECBs print out with your receipt. They are at the bottom. DON'T LOSE THESE. I suggest keeping an envelope in your purse where you can automatically put the ECBs. Now, you can leave the store at this point, and save the ECBs, or you can roll the ECBs. To roll the ECBs, you pick out something that costs about the same as your ECBs. For example, Ivory soap is on sale this week for .99. You could purchase 4 packs of Ivory, and pay only .50. Does that make sense? So, you would leave the store having purchased toothpaste, and 4 packs of Ivory for 4.00. Not bad...it could be better though.
Let's say you used that 3.49 of ECBs to purchase something that earns more ECBs. For example, always infinity pads are on sale for 4.99, and you earn 1.00 ECB when purchased. So you would pay 1.50 out of pocket (OOP) for a pack of pads, and you will have 1.00 ECB good towards your next purchase. And it just keeps going. The CVS game really helps add room to the grocery list, because you can purchase most of your toiletries from CVS for only a few dollars. My goal is to never spend more than 5.00 a week at CVS. I just keep rolling ECBs. I do suggest going during a time when not many people are in the store. I go fairly early in the morning, so that I am not holding up the line when I ask the cashier to do 4 separate transactions. And the cashiers are used to this. Those who play the CVS game are dedicated, and the cashiers typically do not mind doing separate transactions. I have even had a cashier help me figure out how to make the most of my ECBs. I think they find it fun as well.
Again, I welcome any questions!! And there are blogs out there that do a much better job of explaining this than I do. Just google the CVS game, and I am sure you will find what you are looking for.
p.s. if you use coupons, your prices will go even lower. I have a coupon for Crest Pro-health, plus I already have 4.00 in ECBS. I will be getting my toothpaste for almost free, and I will be receiving 3.49 back in ECBs.
If you have never played the CVS game, I am going to walk you through how to get started. Once you start, you will be addicted.
First you need to sign up for a CVS card. You can do this online or in the store. If you do it online, it will come in the mail in just a few days. Once you have a card, you need to pick up a circular (the little booklet with the list of sales) from a CVS store, or you can find it in the Sunday paper. Each month there is one item that you can purchase and receive that same amount of money back in Extra Care Bucks (ECBs). This month you can purchase a tube of Crest Pro-Health toothpaste for 3.49, and you will receive 3.49 back in ECBs. For new players, your ECBs print out with your receipt. They are at the bottom. DON'T LOSE THESE. I suggest keeping an envelope in your purse where you can automatically put the ECBs. Now, you can leave the store at this point, and save the ECBs, or you can roll the ECBs. To roll the ECBs, you pick out something that costs about the same as your ECBs. For example, Ivory soap is on sale this week for .99. You could purchase 4 packs of Ivory, and pay only .50. Does that make sense? So, you would leave the store having purchased toothpaste, and 4 packs of Ivory for 4.00. Not bad...it could be better though.
Let's say you used that 3.49 of ECBs to purchase something that earns more ECBs. For example, always infinity pads are on sale for 4.99, and you earn 1.00 ECB when purchased. So you would pay 1.50 out of pocket (OOP) for a pack of pads, and you will have 1.00 ECB good towards your next purchase. And it just keeps going. The CVS game really helps add room to the grocery list, because you can purchase most of your toiletries from CVS for only a few dollars. My goal is to never spend more than 5.00 a week at CVS. I just keep rolling ECBs. I do suggest going during a time when not many people are in the store. I go fairly early in the morning, so that I am not holding up the line when I ask the cashier to do 4 separate transactions. And the cashiers are used to this. Those who play the CVS game are dedicated, and the cashiers typically do not mind doing separate transactions. I have even had a cashier help me figure out how to make the most of my ECBs. I think they find it fun as well.
Again, I welcome any questions!! And there are blogs out there that do a much better job of explaining this than I do. Just google the CVS game, and I am sure you will find what you are looking for.
p.s. if you use coupons, your prices will go even lower. I have a coupon for Crest Pro-health, plus I already have 4.00 in ECBS. I will be getting my toothpaste for almost free, and I will be receiving 3.49 back in ECBs.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Grocery Game Thoughts and Tips
I have had several people mention in the comment section that they are interested in trying the grocery game, including my little sister, Sarah, college senior. And so I thought I would share a few more thoughts about the ins and outs of the grocery game.
First and foremost, once you sign up, you have to give it time for it to work. That first week after you sign up, you won't have the majority of the coupons. This is quite frustrating, actually. My suggestion is that you spend 6 weeks cutting and collecting coupons every Sunday. Then once you have the coupons collected, sign up for the free six week trial. It's hard to try the grocery game without the coupons. I didn't like it during my trial period because I wasn't saving money. Now that I have a coupon collection the size of Mt. Everest, I am liking the Grocery Game.
Next tip--save every coupon. There are a small handful of coupons that I throw away--pet food, hair color, and contact solution. These are three things I will never use. If I knew someone who would use them, I would give them away. Other than that, I save every, single coupon because often times you can get things for free. For example, a few weeks ago, I got two free bottles of Pert Plus shampoo + conditioner for free. I doubt that I will use this, but I am thinking that somebody somewhere can use it. A charity of some sort, perhaps? It was free. Why not take it?
When you begin clipping coupons, you will notice that they add up quickly. There are many ways to organize them, and there are many blogs that tell you how to do this. I personally have a clear rubber maid box where I file all of my coupons. The box is filled with alphabetized envelopes with categories such as baby, bathroom cleaners, dish detergent, etc. Then, when I am planning my grocery trip for the week, I pull up the grocery game list, I sit with my box of coupons, and I pull out the ones I will need for the week. I then put them in a little organizer that I keep in my purse. I have a section for Kroger coupons and a section for CVS coupons.
Finally, the last thing to understand about the Grocery Game is stockpiling. This also takes a while; in much the same way that it takes a while to collect the coupons. Let me explain this by example. Last week Kroger had a sale on chicken breasts for 1.99/lb. They are normally like 4.99/lb or something. I designated about 10.00 of my grocery budget for chicken breasts, and my freezer is now well stocked with chicken. There was also a huge sale of frozen vegetables, so I came home with 12 boxes of green giant vegetables for nearly free. My freezer is very full. Over the next few weeks I will plan my meals around these things. During that time, the things will most likely go on sale again, and I can stock up at the low price, never having to actually buy at full price. Does that make sense? These days, now that I have been grocery gaming for a while, my grocery list is only made up of about 1/4 of what we need for that week, the rest is for stocking up on things that are at rock bottom prices. If I do have a week where there are lots of necessities on the list, I just resist stocking up, in order to stay within budget.
Sarah specifically asked if this would work for a college student, and my answer to you, Sarah, is that you should at least start "CVSing." You can do that without the grocery game, and you can save INSANE amounts of money. One more example, today I bought 4 packs of disposable razors, always pads, and a bag of snack size kit kats for about 6.00 Out of Pocket (oop). The total price of all of that should have been about 35 dollars. On top of only paying 6.00 OOP, I walked away with 4.00 in Extra Bucks to use towards my next purchase.
I don't know if any of the above makes sense, but it's just some things that I have found helpful as I entered the world of couponing. I guarantee that once you start, you will never be able to shop without coupons again. Feel free to ask any questions, and there are so many blogs out there devoted just to this. It's how I learned the process.
First and foremost, once you sign up, you have to give it time for it to work. That first week after you sign up, you won't have the majority of the coupons. This is quite frustrating, actually. My suggestion is that you spend 6 weeks cutting and collecting coupons every Sunday. Then once you have the coupons collected, sign up for the free six week trial. It's hard to try the grocery game without the coupons. I didn't like it during my trial period because I wasn't saving money. Now that I have a coupon collection the size of Mt. Everest, I am liking the Grocery Game.
Next tip--save every coupon. There are a small handful of coupons that I throw away--pet food, hair color, and contact solution. These are three things I will never use. If I knew someone who would use them, I would give them away. Other than that, I save every, single coupon because often times you can get things for free. For example, a few weeks ago, I got two free bottles of Pert Plus shampoo + conditioner for free. I doubt that I will use this, but I am thinking that somebody somewhere can use it. A charity of some sort, perhaps? It was free. Why not take it?
When you begin clipping coupons, you will notice that they add up quickly. There are many ways to organize them, and there are many blogs that tell you how to do this. I personally have a clear rubber maid box where I file all of my coupons. The box is filled with alphabetized envelopes with categories such as baby, bathroom cleaners, dish detergent, etc. Then, when I am planning my grocery trip for the week, I pull up the grocery game list, I sit with my box of coupons, and I pull out the ones I will need for the week. I then put them in a little organizer that I keep in my purse. I have a section for Kroger coupons and a section for CVS coupons.
Finally, the last thing to understand about the Grocery Game is stockpiling. This also takes a while; in much the same way that it takes a while to collect the coupons. Let me explain this by example. Last week Kroger had a sale on chicken breasts for 1.99/lb. They are normally like 4.99/lb or something. I designated about 10.00 of my grocery budget for chicken breasts, and my freezer is now well stocked with chicken. There was also a huge sale of frozen vegetables, so I came home with 12 boxes of green giant vegetables for nearly free. My freezer is very full. Over the next few weeks I will plan my meals around these things. During that time, the things will most likely go on sale again, and I can stock up at the low price, never having to actually buy at full price. Does that make sense? These days, now that I have been grocery gaming for a while, my grocery list is only made up of about 1/4 of what we need for that week, the rest is for stocking up on things that are at rock bottom prices. If I do have a week where there are lots of necessities on the list, I just resist stocking up, in order to stay within budget.
Sarah specifically asked if this would work for a college student, and my answer to you, Sarah, is that you should at least start "CVSing." You can do that without the grocery game, and you can save INSANE amounts of money. One more example, today I bought 4 packs of disposable razors, always pads, and a bag of snack size kit kats for about 6.00 Out of Pocket (oop). The total price of all of that should have been about 35 dollars. On top of only paying 6.00 OOP, I walked away with 4.00 in Extra Bucks to use towards my next purchase.
I don't know if any of the above makes sense, but it's just some things that I have found helpful as I entered the world of couponing. I guarantee that once you start, you will never be able to shop without coupons again. Feel free to ask any questions, and there are so many blogs out there devoted just to this. It's how I learned the process.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
I'm Loving the Grocery Game
It's a good week for the Grocery Game and me. Last week I wasn't feeling it so much, and then I saw this week's list. And we are on again.
Here is a list of what I am getting for FREE!!! from Kroger....
2 bottles of Pert Plus shampoo (normally 3.39 each)
5 (yes, five!!!) packs of Cottonelle Toilet Paper
4 boxes of Celestial Seasonings Tea (normally 2.99 each)
3 boxes of Green Valley Fresh Steamers Vegetables (normally 1.79 each)
so that's what, 23.00 worth of free merchandise, rounding down!!
That's my free list, and here is my drastically reduced prices list
2 Reach Toothbrushes=1.00 (normally 2.16 each)
6 Scotch Brite Sponges=3.00
Purdue Chicken Breasts= 1.99/lb (I am stocking up on this, so I plan to reserve about 10.00 worth of grocery budget for this) (normally 5.49/lb)
3 Boxes of Green Giant Healthy Weight Vegetables=1.50 (normally 1.79 each)
6 boxes of Green Giant Regular Vegetables(not sure what the difference is between these and the previous, but whatever)=3.00 (normally 1.79 each)
2 boxes of Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta=.66 (normally 1.89 each)
I am going in the morning because my coupon pile is a mile high, and I hate to be that girl holding up the grocery line. And I find that Kroger is quite empty at 8 am on a weekday morning. Plus, I am just so excited to see these savings in person.
And to top it all off, CVS has been good to me too. I had a rain check for a free box of Always Infinity Pads. I went to claim that free box today, and when the cashier rang it up (for free) out printed a dollar extra buck. Yes, they paid me a dollar to take the always pads. That is my kind of shopping. Tomorrow I am heading over there after Kroger to stock up on Huggies diapers. I plan to purchase 3 packs of Huggies diapers for less than 30.00, and I will receive 10.00 extra bucks!!! Woo-hoo...it is a good week for saving money.
Here is a list of what I am getting for FREE!!! from Kroger....
2 bottles of Pert Plus shampoo (normally 3.39 each)
5 (yes, five!!!) packs of Cottonelle Toilet Paper
4 boxes of Celestial Seasonings Tea (normally 2.99 each)
3 boxes of Green Valley Fresh Steamers Vegetables (normally 1.79 each)
so that's what, 23.00 worth of free merchandise, rounding down!!
That's my free list, and here is my drastically reduced prices list
2 Reach Toothbrushes=1.00 (normally 2.16 each)
6 Scotch Brite Sponges=3.00
Purdue Chicken Breasts= 1.99/lb (I am stocking up on this, so I plan to reserve about 10.00 worth of grocery budget for this) (normally 5.49/lb)
3 Boxes of Green Giant Healthy Weight Vegetables=1.50 (normally 1.79 each)
6 boxes of Green Giant Regular Vegetables(not sure what the difference is between these and the previous, but whatever)=3.00 (normally 1.79 each)
2 boxes of Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta=.66 (normally 1.89 each)
I am going in the morning because my coupon pile is a mile high, and I hate to be that girl holding up the grocery line. And I find that Kroger is quite empty at 8 am on a weekday morning. Plus, I am just so excited to see these savings in person.
And to top it all off, CVS has been good to me too. I had a rain check for a free box of Always Infinity Pads. I went to claim that free box today, and when the cashier rang it up (for free) out printed a dollar extra buck. Yes, they paid me a dollar to take the always pads. That is my kind of shopping. Tomorrow I am heading over there after Kroger to stock up on Huggies diapers. I plan to purchase 3 packs of Huggies diapers for less than 30.00, and I will receive 10.00 extra bucks!!! Woo-hoo...it is a good week for saving money.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
The Grocery Game--I'm thinking it works
As you know if you read this blog often, I having been couponing for months now. And I have to be honest, at times it seems to get the best of me. I spend hours on the living room floor, coupons all around, store circulars all around, back hurting from sitting and clipping and searching for the best deal. And most often, I go to the store, and my final total is more than I hoped for. It can be a discouraging process. Though it has saved us tons and tons of money, so there are no plans to stop couponing. Instead, there are plans to get better at couponing.
My first attempt at "getting better at this," is to use my grocery game membership. I signed up for a free trial weeks ago, but I haven't really been using it, and with plans to cancel my membership, I decided to give it one more try. So last night, I sat in front of the computer with "Terri's List" for Kroger, and I matched my coupons to what she said to buy in hopes of saving tons and tons of money. I woke up this morning, fed Ada some breakfast ,woke Scott up to watch Ada, and I headed out the door with list and coupons in hand. I went to three different stores--CVS, Target, and Kroger--in that order because CVS is farthest from my house and Kroger is closest, and here is how I did.
My total for all three stores was 113.00, rounding up a bit. I was hoping to keep it under 75.00, but I am still trying to get the hang of when to buy to stock up and when to not buy, so maybe next week I can keep it below 75.00. But ya'll, listen to what 113 got me. It's CRAZY.
CVS
3 boxes of playtex tampons
2 things of Speedstick Deodorant for Men
4 bags of candy (2 kit kat, 2 reeses)
1 schick quatro razor for Scott
1 bic soleil razor for me
total=19.13
total saved with coupons and extra bucks=41.38
extra bucks to use on next shopping trip=9.00
coupons printed off with receipt=10.00 total in savings
If you are not playing the CVS game, please do. It is so much fun, and the amount of money you can save is CRAZY.
Target
12 pack of Quilted Northern Toilet Paper
1 card
total=7.48
no coupons, toilet paper on sale
Kroger
I am not going to list all of this out, but I will just give you a summary
enough for meals for the week--breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks
Two 24 packs of Deer Park water
12 containers of Yoplait Yogurt
2 things of Maalox chewable tablets
Febreeze Starter Kit (free with coupons, normally like 9.00)
6 cans of Hunts tomatoes
3 bottles of adult suave shampoo
3 bottles of child suave shampoo
Loreal Mascara
basics like milk, juice, chicken broth (4 cans), frozen veggies, etc.
Total=83.25
Total saved with coupons and kroger plus card= 50.92
so all together, using coupons and store loyalty cards, I saved 90.00 today!! I say it was a successful trip. And my stockpiles of shampoo, Ada's soap, feminine products, and toothpaste are complete for a while. Hopefully, the grocery bill will continue to drop.
I will back tomorrow with the week's menu to show what all I am able to make with the groceries that I bought.
My first attempt at "getting better at this," is to use my grocery game membership. I signed up for a free trial weeks ago, but I haven't really been using it, and with plans to cancel my membership, I decided to give it one more try. So last night, I sat in front of the computer with "Terri's List" for Kroger, and I matched my coupons to what she said to buy in hopes of saving tons and tons of money. I woke up this morning, fed Ada some breakfast ,woke Scott up to watch Ada, and I headed out the door with list and coupons in hand. I went to three different stores--CVS, Target, and Kroger--in that order because CVS is farthest from my house and Kroger is closest, and here is how I did.
My total for all three stores was 113.00, rounding up a bit. I was hoping to keep it under 75.00, but I am still trying to get the hang of when to buy to stock up and when to not buy, so maybe next week I can keep it below 75.00. But ya'll, listen to what 113 got me. It's CRAZY.
CVS
3 boxes of playtex tampons
2 things of Speedstick Deodorant for Men
4 bags of candy (2 kit kat, 2 reeses)
1 schick quatro razor for Scott
1 bic soleil razor for me
total=19.13
total saved with coupons and extra bucks=41.38
extra bucks to use on next shopping trip=9.00
coupons printed off with receipt=10.00 total in savings
If you are not playing the CVS game, please do. It is so much fun, and the amount of money you can save is CRAZY.
Target
12 pack of Quilted Northern Toilet Paper
1 card
total=7.48
no coupons, toilet paper on sale
Kroger
I am not going to list all of this out, but I will just give you a summary
enough for meals for the week--breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks
Two 24 packs of Deer Park water
12 containers of Yoplait Yogurt
2 things of Maalox chewable tablets
Febreeze Starter Kit (free with coupons, normally like 9.00)
6 cans of Hunts tomatoes
3 bottles of adult suave shampoo
3 bottles of child suave shampoo
Loreal Mascara
basics like milk, juice, chicken broth (4 cans), frozen veggies, etc.
Total=83.25
Total saved with coupons and kroger plus card= 50.92
so all together, using coupons and store loyalty cards, I saved 90.00 today!! I say it was a successful trip. And my stockpiles of shampoo, Ada's soap, feminine products, and toothpaste are complete for a while. Hopefully, the grocery bill will continue to drop.
I will back tomorrow with the week's menu to show what all I am able to make with the groceries that I bought.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Football, Diet Coke, and CVS Bucks
We are spending our Saturday the way the rest of the south is spending their Saturday, watching SEC football. I had committed to having no diet coke in the house, but Scott requested that I at least buy a pack that he can take to work in order to bring home just enough at night for him to have one or two. I, on the other hand, CANNOT keep it in the house. I bought it anyway this past week thinking I could control myself. It turns out I can't. No more diet coke in the house if I have any hope of cutting it out of my life. Well, I had to run out and get a case for Scott today so that he would have some to drink while he watched football. It's our beer of choice:) He will be taking the leftovers to work. Well, when he told me he needed some, I was racking my brain because the grocery money was already spent. Then I remembered that I had some CVS extra bucks--problem solved. Even better, the diet coke at CVS was on sale, 3 for 10 (not their best deal ever, but it will work), so I actually had to pick something out in order to have enough to use my 5.79 ECBs from infant Advil that I bought earlier in the month. I decided to purchase two three packs of ivory soap because we can always use soap, and buying ivory meant 1.00 Extra Buck. So, I ended up spending .34 out of pocket, and I walked away with 1.00 ECB. I made money off of my transaction. I have to admit, I was fairly proud of myself.
For more deals check out Super Saving Saturdays over at Money Saving Mom.
For more deals check out Super Saving Saturdays over at Money Saving Mom.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Ways I'm saving money this week
Okay, as you know from previous posts, I am all about stretching the paycheck so that I can stay at home with Ada. I feel like part of my job as a stay at home mom is investing time in figuring out how to do this. Especially now when I only have one child, so I have more time on my hands. Plus, I have always loved to shop for good deals. I am a shopper. I love it. I love the entire process, so I think it's fun to figure out how to make the money stretch a little bit farther. There are several things that I am doing these days to pinch those pennies, things that I have learned from other mom blogs, in fact.
1. I am couponing. I am actually clipping coupons, saving the coupons in a cute little pouch, and, this is the crazy part, using the coupons. I am that girl in line, pulling the stack of coupons out of my pouch, and eagerly watching the screen to see what money I will save this week. Here is my secret for couponing. I only use coupons for items I would buy anyway. I refuse to buy something simply because I have a coupon. Now, I am willing to plan meals around the coupons. You know, the way you plan meals around what you already have in the cupboard. But I will not allow the coupons to make me spend more money on things that we don't need. And, rarely, I find a coupon for pampers or formula, and I feel like I struck gold.
2. I only shop at Kroger. Now, Wal-Mart may initially have better prices, but the Kroger card is amazing. You can download coupons onto your card to add to the deals you will already find in the store. Plus, every time I spend $100 at Kroger (which is weekly) I get ten cents per gallon off of already low priced Kroger gasoline. And, the store computer keeps track of what I am buying, and it spits out more coupons with my receipt on things that I am buying every week. For example, those longed for pamper coupons.
3. Speaking of Pampers, I am only using them at night. I won't lie, Pampers are the best. As much as I want to believe that generic brand will suffice, it's just not true. Pampers are softer, they have such a distinct baby smell, and they don't leak. However, generic brand will work during the day time when Ada's diaper is being changed every 2 hours or so. So, I am now buying a jumbo pack of pampers, which I keep upstairs in Ada's room to put on her after bath time before she goes to bed. Then I can rest assured that she will not wake up in the middle of the night with wet pajamas as a result of a leak (this has happened to us several times). And, I make those pampers stretch for a few weeks because I am putting generic brand on her during the day. This leads me to money saving tip number 4.
4. CVS extra care card. This card is AMAZING. It makes Kroger look bad. Really. You sign up for an extra care card, then you pick up a weekly circular (or go online), and you find the things in the store that will earn extra bucks. Let me explain by example. The other week CVS had a sale on Charmin toilet paper--the pampers of toilet paper-- and bounty paper towels. If you spent 20.00 on Charmin and bounty, you would receive 10.00 extra bucks. Well, the sale was so good that I was able to buy two huge things of Charmin and two huge things of bounty for a little over 20.00. Then I received 10.00 extra bucks back automatically, which is like a gift card to CVS. I turned around and bought a huge pack of pampers, which was also on sale, and got 10.00 off of the pampers. And left with more extra bucks to spend on my next shopping trip.
Let's go on. This week, the special was on CVS brand baby items. I spent 15.00 on two packs of cvs brand diapers and two packs of cvs brand wipes. I received 5.00 extra bucks back, which I plan to use today to buy four cases of diet Pepsi, which is on sale 4/11. This means that I will actually spend 6.00 to buy four twelve packs of diet Pepsi. If you are still confused, go here (click on the word here) to read a more detailed explanation of the "CVS game."
5. Okay, this is the last one for now. Rite Aid has a similar program, which I am just starting, so I don't know as well. It is called single check rebate. It works a lot like CVS, but instead of getting an automatic coupon with your receipt, you buy items in the store, you take your receipt home, plug your info. into Rite Aid online, and you receive a rebate check. For example, during July, if I bought one jumbo pack of Pampers I could go home, enter my receipt info. into the computer, and I would receive a check for 2.00. And the great thing here is you just receive money. I don't have to use that money at Rite Aid. Again, with both of these things I only buy what I need to buy anyway. For example, this morning, I went through the monthly Rebate Directory and marked things that we have to buy. That way, instead of buying them at Kroger, I will buy them at Rite Aid, and I will receive money back for them. Again, for a more detailed explanation, go here.
So just a few tips on how we are saving money. And I am ALWAYS looking for new ways to save, so please post any tips in the comment section, if you have them.
1. I am couponing. I am actually clipping coupons, saving the coupons in a cute little pouch, and, this is the crazy part, using the coupons. I am that girl in line, pulling the stack of coupons out of my pouch, and eagerly watching the screen to see what money I will save this week. Here is my secret for couponing. I only use coupons for items I would buy anyway. I refuse to buy something simply because I have a coupon. Now, I am willing to plan meals around the coupons. You know, the way you plan meals around what you already have in the cupboard. But I will not allow the coupons to make me spend more money on things that we don't need. And, rarely, I find a coupon for pampers or formula, and I feel like I struck gold.
2. I only shop at Kroger. Now, Wal-Mart may initially have better prices, but the Kroger card is amazing. You can download coupons onto your card to add to the deals you will already find in the store. Plus, every time I spend $100 at Kroger (which is weekly) I get ten cents per gallon off of already low priced Kroger gasoline. And, the store computer keeps track of what I am buying, and it spits out more coupons with my receipt on things that I am buying every week. For example, those longed for pamper coupons.
3. Speaking of Pampers, I am only using them at night. I won't lie, Pampers are the best. As much as I want to believe that generic brand will suffice, it's just not true. Pampers are softer, they have such a distinct baby smell, and they don't leak. However, generic brand will work during the day time when Ada's diaper is being changed every 2 hours or so. So, I am now buying a jumbo pack of pampers, which I keep upstairs in Ada's room to put on her after bath time before she goes to bed. Then I can rest assured that she will not wake up in the middle of the night with wet pajamas as a result of a leak (this has happened to us several times). And, I make those pampers stretch for a few weeks because I am putting generic brand on her during the day. This leads me to money saving tip number 4.
4. CVS extra care card. This card is AMAZING. It makes Kroger look bad. Really. You sign up for an extra care card, then you pick up a weekly circular (or go online), and you find the things in the store that will earn extra bucks. Let me explain by example. The other week CVS had a sale on Charmin toilet paper--the pampers of toilet paper-- and bounty paper towels. If you spent 20.00 on Charmin and bounty, you would receive 10.00 extra bucks. Well, the sale was so good that I was able to buy two huge things of Charmin and two huge things of bounty for a little over 20.00. Then I received 10.00 extra bucks back automatically, which is like a gift card to CVS. I turned around and bought a huge pack of pampers, which was also on sale, and got 10.00 off of the pampers. And left with more extra bucks to spend on my next shopping trip.
Let's go on. This week, the special was on CVS brand baby items. I spent 15.00 on two packs of cvs brand diapers and two packs of cvs brand wipes. I received 5.00 extra bucks back, which I plan to use today to buy four cases of diet Pepsi, which is on sale 4/11. This means that I will actually spend 6.00 to buy four twelve packs of diet Pepsi. If you are still confused, go here (click on the word here) to read a more detailed explanation of the "CVS game."
5. Okay, this is the last one for now. Rite Aid has a similar program, which I am just starting, so I don't know as well. It is called single check rebate. It works a lot like CVS, but instead of getting an automatic coupon with your receipt, you buy items in the store, you take your receipt home, plug your info. into Rite Aid online, and you receive a rebate check. For example, during July, if I bought one jumbo pack of Pampers I could go home, enter my receipt info. into the computer, and I would receive a check for 2.00. And the great thing here is you just receive money. I don't have to use that money at Rite Aid. Again, with both of these things I only buy what I need to buy anyway. For example, this morning, I went through the monthly Rebate Directory and marked things that we have to buy. That way, instead of buying them at Kroger, I will buy them at Rite Aid, and I will receive money back for them. Again, for a more detailed explanation, go here.
So just a few tips on how we are saving money. And I am ALWAYS looking for new ways to save, so please post any tips in the comment section, if you have them.
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