Cyber Monday

Wasn't the deal I was hoping for, but is something we needed, since ours is coming up on it's expiration date any day now...

The deal I got for Cyber Monday was from Staples.com for Norton Anti-virus. Regular priced $79.99, there is a $30.00 Instant Savings applied at checkout, Plus a $40.00 Rebate, making it only $9.99.

It figures the price before any coupons, so I qualified for Free Shipping to my home. I still had to pay tax, which stinks!, which was $3.50. My final total will be $13.49 after rebate. 

Last year I paid $60.something for Norton Anti-virus from Walmart!

But darn it, I forgot to order my free (after rewards) batteries!  Oh well. I'lll go to the store later this week.

Publix

$1.67 Hot Pockets (6 for $10.00 sale)

$1.67 Hot Pockets

$1.66 Hot Pockets

$1.67 Hot Pockets

$1.67 Hot Pockets

$1.66 Hot Pockets

$1.67 Hot Pockets

$1.67 Hot Pockets

$1.66 Hot Pockets

$1.67 Hot Pockets

-  .50 (doubled) RP 9/13 x 10

= .67/.66 each

$4.69 Publix Pizza

-4.68 Penny Item

= .01

$2.79 New York Dippin Stix

-  .50 (doubled) SS 11/08

= 1.79

$2.50 Birdsye Viola (Bogo $4.99)

$2.49 Birdseye Viola

-1.50/2 Coupon & Rebate form found at Food Lion

= 3.49*

*Will submit for $5.00 Viola and UP DVD rebate

$1.59 Lettuce

-1.00 Produce Publix Baby coupon

=  .59

$.82 Tomato

No Coupon

$1.59 x 10 Bear Naked bar

-2.00 IP q x 10

= +4.10 overage

$.90 x 5 Fisher Snacks (BOGO $1.79)

$.89 x 5

$.90 Fisher snack
-1.00 SS 11/15 x 11
= +1.15 overage

$.79 Publix 2-ltr Cola
$.79 Publix 2-ltr. Cola
No Coupon

Used $10.00 Walgreens RR competitor coupon

Total Before Coupons $58.88
Total After Coupons -.30 + .95 tax = .65 oop

Walgreens

Had $32.00 more RRs expiring today I needed to roll so I headed to Walgreens for this weeks deals early too. The bad thing about Walgreens is rainchecks won't help because you can't get the RRs after the offer is over. Plus, most of my coupons were expiring tomorrow.

In my first two transactions, I was expecting the Character bandaids Wags q to take off $4.00, but it only took off $3.00, so I was a dollar off in my calculations. No big deal, I needed those sandwich bags and they were on sale for a good price anyway.

Transaction 1:

$7.99 Complete Multi-Sol

$2.50 Zooth Toothbrush

$2.50 Zooth Toothbrush

$2.50 OralB Stages TB

$2.50 OralB Stages TB

$1.50 Character Bandaids

$1.50 Character Bandaids

$1.99 Sandwich bags

$2.50 AJC paper bundle*

$2.50 AJC paper bundle*

$  .39 Christmas pencil

= $28.37

Coupons used:

-1.00 Complete RP 10/25

-1.00 Zooth/OralB PG 11/01

-1.00 Zooth/OralB PG 11/01

-1.00 Zooth/OralB PG 11/01

-1.00 Zooth/OralB PG 11/01

-  .50 Bandaids SS 8/02

-  .50 Bandaids SS 8/02

-4.00 Wags Childrens Activity Book q Zooth/Stages

-3.00 Wags Childrens Activity Book q Character Bandaids

-1.00 Wags in-ad q Sandwich baggies

-  .26 Wags in-ad q Pencil

= $14.26

Paid w/ $13.00 RRs

Total $1.11 + 1.41 tax = $2.52 cash

Received RRs: $8.00 Complete, $5.00 Zooth/Stages, $1.00 Bandaids = $14.00

Final Total $1.52 oop

*I wasted $5.00 RRs on the newspapers because there was supposed to have been a new P&G insert in this weeks paper, but there wasn't one in any of mine.

Transaction 2:

$7.99 Complete Multi Sol

$2.50 Zooth Toothbrush

$2.50 Zooth Toothbrush

$2.50 OralB Stages TB
$2.50 OralB Stages TB
$1.50 Character Bandaids
$1.50 Character Bandaids
$  .39 Christmas Pencil
= $21.38

Coupons used:
-1.00 Complete RP 10/25
-1.00 Zooth/OralB PG 11/01
-1.00 Zooth/OralB PG 11/01
- .50 Bandaids SS 8/02
- .50 Bandaids SS 8/02
-4.00 Wags Childrens Activity Book q Zooth/Stages
-3.00 Wags Childrens Activity Book q Character Bandaids
- .26 Wags in-ad q Pencil
= $11.26

Paid w/ $8.00 RR

Total $2.12 + .99 tax = $3.11 cash

Received RRs: $8.00 Complete, $5.00 Zooth/Stages, $1.00 Bandaids = $14.00

Final total $2.89 Profit

Transaction 3:
$7.99 Complete Multi-Sol
$2.50 Oral B Floss picks
$2.50 Oral B Floss
$1.50 Character Bandaids
$1.50 Character Bandaids
$1.59 Candy Canes
$1.41 Candy Canes
$  .14 Clearance Halloween Candy thing
= $19.13

Coupons used:
-1.00 Complete RP 10/25
-1.00 OralB floss PG 10/11
-1.00 OralB floss or picks PG 10/11
-  .50 Bandaids SS 8/02
-  .50 Bandaids SS 8/02
-3.00 Wags Childrens Activity book q Character Bandaids
-1.02 Wags in-ad q Candy canes
= 8.02
Paid w/ $11.00 RRs

Total $0.11 + .82 tax = $0.93 oop

Received RRs $8.00 Complete, $3.00 OralB, $1.00 Bandaids = $12.00

Final Total $0.07 Profit
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Total Value of all items $68.88
Total RRs Spent $32.00
Total Cash Spent $6.56
RRs Received $40.00

Final Total: All my items free, plus $1.44 more than what I spent.

CVS

Hit CVS early because I knew this stuff would get gone fast, and sure enough there was only two of the $4.49 deodorants left. Had to pay $5.49 for the last one.

Well, I didn't have to, I just did.  Actually I could have - and probably will with my next deal - get rainchecks for the items.  The Gillette coupons are good until 12/31/09, so there's a long time to be able to get them later.

$4.99 Gillette Body Wash

$4.99 Gillette Body Wash

$4.99 Gillette Body Wash

$4.49 Gillette Deod.

$4.49 Gillette Doed.

$5.49 Gillette Deod.

$2.99 Oral B toothbrush

= $32.43

Coupons used:

-$5/$30 Medicare quiz IP q

-4.99 Free Gillette Body Wash wyb Deodorant PG 11/01

-4.99 Free Gillette Body Wash wyb Deodorant PG 11/01

-4.99 Free Gillette Body Wash wyb Deodorant PG 11/01
-1.00 Gillette Deodorant PG 11/01
-1.00 Gillette Deodorant PG 11/01
-1.00 Gillette Deodorant PG 11/01
-  .75 Oral B PG 11/01
= $23.72
-     7.99 ECB

Total $0.72 + 2.27 tax = $2.99 cash
Received ECBs: $10.00 Gillette, $2.00 Oral-B = $12.00

Final Total $1.02 Profit

Walgreens

Today I HAD to roll/blow $38.00 worth of RRs or risk losing them.

Two of the RRs were RRs I got from buying the Almay Foundation before, so I couldn't buy more Almay in the same transaction I was using those RRs in. I had a $10.00 RR from buying Tylenol so I bought an Almay in a separate transaction.  Of course it only cost $9.99, so I had to have a filler to make up the one cent. The cheapest thing I could find real quick was a .10 Christmas gift bag.

$9.99 Almay makeup

$  .10 gift bag

= $10.09 + .71 tax = $10.80

Paid with $10.00 RR and .80 cash.

Received $10.00 RR

Total cost $.80 oop

I had $28.00 RRs left, so I started with getting the MoneyMakers: Infusium, Therflu, and Triaminic. Then I bought the available Free-After-RRs I could, then blew the remainder.

$4.99 Infusium 23 conditioner (get $5.00 RR)

-2.00 SS 11/22

= $2.99

$5.00 Theraflu (get $3.00 RR wyb 2)

$5.00 Theraflu

-2.00 IP q

-2.00 IP q

-4.00 Wags q Healthy Savings booklet

-4.00 Wags q Diabetes & You magazine

= +2.00

$5.00 Triaminic (get $5.00 RR wyb 2)

$5.00 Triaminic

-1.50 SS 10/18

-1.50 SS 10/18

-4.00 Wags q Healthy Savings booklet

= $3.00

$6.99 Dulcolax (get $4.00 RR)

-3.00 on-bottle q

= 3.99

$3.79 Vanity Fair Plates

 0.00 Vanity Fair bowls BOGO sale

-3.79 BOGO coupon Oct. All You magazine

 = Free Plates and Bowls

$3.99 Dove Deodorant (get $4.00 RR)

$2.49 Right Guard Deodorant (get $2.50 RR)

$2.49 Nivea Shave Gel (get $2.50 RR)

$1.99 Aquafresh Toothpaste (get $2.00 RR)

$5.00 Christmas Wall Clock

$1.99 Christmas Wrapping Paper

$1.29 Trolli Gummy worms

$ .71 Trolli Gummy worms

$ .10 Christmas gift bag**

**I was adding as I went along, and thought I had more than $28.00 worth of items, but the last RR beeped. I knew I had more items than coupons, so the problem was obviously that I was in the negative. Walgreens registers won't tell you your amount before taxes, so I figured we'd ring up more Christmas bags until it took the RR. Turned out it only took one more. I was only .07 in the negative.

Total Value before Coupons: $55.82

Total Value after Coupons: $28.03 + 3.83 tax = $31.86

Paid with $28.00 RRs and 3.86 cash

Recieved RRs: $28.00

Total Cost: $3.86 oop

CVS

Deal 1:

$2.99 Herbal Essence Shampoo

$2.99 Herbal Essance Mousse

$3.99 St. Ives Body Wash

$4.99 Dyna-Pep

$8.00 Schick Titanium Razor

$8.29 Touch of Gray

= $33.24

Coupons Used:

$5/$30 Medicare quiz q

-2.99 Free Styler wyb HE Shampoo/Styler PG 10/11

-2.00 Schick SS 11/22

-1.00 St. Ives  SS 11/15

= $10.99

Total after coupons $22.25 + 2.33 tax = $24.58

Paid with $21.00 ECBs and 3.58 cash

Recieved ECBs: $4.00 Herbal Essence, $3.00 St. Ives, $4.99 DynaPep, $8.00 Schick, $8.29 Touch of Gray = $28.28 total

Final Total $3.70 Profit

Deal 2:

$7.99 Vaseline Lotion

$6.99 Bic Razor

$5.99 Bic Razor*

$6.99 Phillips Earphones

$1.59 MnMs Mars

$  .89 Reeses Hersheys

$  .89 Heath candy bar*

= $31.33

Coupons used:

$5/$30 Medicare quiz q

-1.00 Vaseline Lotion RP 10/18

-2.00 Bic Shaver SS 11/15
-2.00 Bic Shaver SS 11/15
= $10.00

Total after coupons: $21.33 + 2.07 tax = $23.40
Paid with $21.33 ECBs and 2.07 cash

Recieved ECBs: $.89 Hershey, $1.59 Mars, $6.99 Earphones, $5.00 Bic Razor, $5.00 Bic Razor*, $7.99 Vaseline

Final Total $4.06 Profit

*One of the Bic razors rang up for $5.99 instead of $6.99, putting me under the amount of ECBs I had to spend, so I had to buy an extra candy bar so I wouldn't lose .84 cents of my ECB.
It wasn't until after the transaction I realized the razor rang up wrong, and that I hadn't gotten the ECB for it, so the cashier manually printed the ECB.

Total on this card $7.76 Profit

Deal 3:
$  .89 Heath Hersheys
$1.59 MnMs Mars
$4.99 DynaPep
$6.99 Bic Shaver
$6.99 Plillips Earphones
$7.99 Vaseline lotion
= $29.44

Coupons Used:
$5/$30 Medicare quiz q
$1.00 Vaseline Lotion RP 10/18
2.00 Bic Shaver SS 11/15
= $8.00

Total after coupons: $21.44 + 1.63 tax = $23.07
Paid with $18.00 ECBs and 5.07 cash

Recieved ECBs: $.89 Hersheys, $1.59 Mars, $4.99 DynaPep, $5.00 Bic, $6.99 Earphones, $7.99 Vaseline Lotion

Final Total on this Card $4.38 Profit

Deal 4:
*I messed up!  I did this deal out of order and confused myself! I was only planning to buy the Vaseline lotion, not the earphones. The earphones were free after ECBs, but I had a HIGH out of pocket, and normally wouldn't have converted so much cash into ECBs, especially not on this last card, where I had worked to lower the amount of ECBs I had to keep up with.

$7.99 Vaseline Lotion
$6.99 Phillips Earphones
= $14.98

Coupons used:
-1.00 Vaseline RP 10/18


Total after coupon $13.98 + 1.05 tax = 15.03
Paid with $4.00 ECB and 11.03 cash (ouch!!!)

Recieved ECBs $7.99 Vaseline, $6.99 Earphones

$8.00 (4) 12-packs Dr. Pepper

Paid with $7.99 ECB and .37 cash = $8.36

Final Total on this card $8.41 oop

Rite Aid

(Not Pictured: Phillips Earphones and Nintendo DS Guitar Hero Games)

$7.99 BeneVia

$4.99 Phillips Earphones

$19.99 Nintendo DS Guitar Hero Game

= $32.97

Coupons used:

$5/$25 Rite Aid Internet Printable IP q

5.00 BeneVia IP q

Total Spent: $22.97 + tax oop

Rebates Due: 7.99 BeneVia, 4.99 Earphones = 12.98

Final Total: Free Benevia, Free Earphones, 9.99 Guitar Hero Game

and $22.97 towards Gift of Savings promotion

Black Friday

The Store that got my Black Friday bizness today was....Ace Hardware!

Makita Lithium-Ion Cordless Drill/Driver w/ 65-pc. Accessory Kit and Carry bag: Reg. Price $149.99 $79.99

Peak 300 Amp Jump Starter: Reg. price $49.99 $19.99 after rebate

15ft. and 25ft. Extension Cord Combo Set: Reg. price $16.99 $4.99

Skil Drive/Drill Mixed Power Tool Accessory Set: Reg. price $19.99 $4.99 after rebate

Stanley Staple Gun: Reg. price $9.99 Free after rebate

38-pc. Ratcheting Screwdriver set: Reg. price ?? Free after rebate

Total Retail Value: $256.94

Total Spent: $109.96 + tax.....Hubby's Christmas DONE!

      

 (I even got them all wrapped! Forgetting that I need the UPC codes to send for my rebates. Argh!)

Publix/Publix

Total Before Coupons: $83.30

Total After Coupons: -1.80 + 2.84 tax = $1.04 oop

Total Before Coupons: $78.80

Total After Coupons: -1.55 + 2.81 tax = $1.26 oop

Target

$0.97 Up&Up Toddler Flushable Wipes

-  .97  Target IP q

= Free x 8

$2.54 Scrubbing Bubbles x 4

-5.00 Gift Card wyb 4 coupon 11/1 SS

-1.50 wyb 2 coupon 11/15 SS x 2

-2.00/2 Peelie coupon x 2

= +1.84 Profit after Gift Card

(One of my $1.50 Target q's only went through for $1.00, I'm not sure why. I thought because I gave my MQs first, but that shouldn't have made a difference since I still owed $3.00+ before Gift Card.)

$2.50 Glade Candles x 5

-1.50 Glade Candle x 5

-5.00 Gift Card wyb 5

= Free x 5

$2.50 Small Christmas tree Ball ornaments for my little silver Christmas tree

=$11.16 + .89 tax = $12.05 (paid with Gift Cards)

Received $10.00 Gift Cards

Total Cost $2.05 oop

Walmart

I rarely shop Walmart because it is usually such a hassle to use coupons, and especially the way I want to use my coupons, ie. overage.

But I had these coupons, and figured I'd just give it a try. I started out with 2 of the Adams collars, but everything else turned out to be more expensive than I was figuring on. I've worn houseslippers from Walmart for years. Seems like the last I remember they had gone up to like $4.50.  The ones I got today are from a different maker - Deerform, I think - and cost $6.00, and I don't even like them. The part that goes across my toes is too short. I feel like they are going to come off my foot when I walk.

The Chefs Request Bacon Wrapped Beef was $3.98 at my WM, rather than the $3.28 others' had posted, and the Hormel Party tray was $5.00, not $3.00 like at some other WMs.

So then I figured, well, in for a penny, in for a pound. They'll either take them or they won't, whether I got one or four, so I went back and got two more of the Adams collars.

Walmart was CRAZY today, everyone and their entire family was in there seemed like. But not one single young guy cashier.  I ended up going through a self-check lane, and when the Adams coupons beeped, the Cashier came over and entered them for me.  No problem until she saw my final total was only $1.82.  Then she scanned back to see how much the collars were.  I said that Walmart would get reimbursed the full amount of the coupon, and she said she knew it, but usually the register kicked those out, and I got lucky it took them.  Okayyy, lol.

$5.00 Hormel Party Tray

$3.98 Chefs Request Bacon Wrapped Beef Filet

$6.00 Houseslippers

$  .97 Adams Dog collar x 4

= $18.86

-3.00 Chefs Request IP q

-3.00 Hormel Party Tray IP q

-3.00 Adams Products 5/17 RP/Parade x 4

=$.86 + .96 tax = $1.82

Kroger

I had 5 of the Scotch fur fighter coupons, and 5 plans. I needed milk, bread, cokes, and had planned to buy the early edition of the AJC papers.  Everything worked out but the papers. They had the early editions in, but not the double-bundles. I refuse to pay $2.00 for one paper, when I can buy 2 for $2.50. Even if it's overage, or "free" money, you still get more for your money by shopping smart.  I'll pay cash for my papers tomorrow, and save my free money for more milk or something else we might need later in the week.

Transaction #1:

$5.99 Fur Fighter

$1.99 Milk

-4.00 Cellfire eq

-4.00 RP 9/13

   .48 tax

= .46 oop

Transaction #2:

$5.99 Fur Fighter

$  .78 Loafa bread

$  .78 Loafa bread

$  .69 K Cola

-4.00 Cellfire eq

-4.00 RP 9/13

   .49 tax

= .73 oop

Transaction #3:

$5.99

$  .69 K Cola

$ .69 K Cola

$ .69 K Cola

-4.00 Cellfire eq

-4.00 RP 9/13

   .48 tax

= .54 oop

CVS

First Transaction went fine...my $5/$30 quiz q beeped, but the cashier entered it manually with no problem. Same with the Revlon q's for the nail polish. 

$5.00 Nyquil

$5.00 Nyquil

$5.00 Robitussin

$5.00 Robitussin

$4.99 Revlon

$4.99 Revlon

$4.99 Revlon

= $34.97

-5.00/$30.00 quiz q

-1.50 Nyquil P&G 11/01

-1.50 Nyquil P&G 11/01

-2.00 Robitussin IP q
-2.00 Robitussin IP q
-2.00 Revlon 11/15 SS
-2.00 Revlon 11/15 SS
-2.00 Revlon 11/15 SS
-6.99 ECB
-5.00 ECB
= $4.98
+2.45 tax
= $7.43 oop

Received $10.00 ECB Nyquil/Robitussin
Received $7.00 ECB Revlon
Received $4.00 ECB Christmas Catalog wyb $20 voucher

=$1.58 Profit

Transaction #2 didn't go as well. 
First of all I was trying to use the CVS Pharmacy Glade coupons stacked with the Glade mfr. coupons. I know the CVS coupons are actually mfr. coupons, however, CVS ticks me off when they wouldn't let me use a Kroger catalina, which is also actually a mfr. coupon, because they say it is a Kroger coupon.  So if that one is a Store coupon, then by golly so is the CVS one.
I knew and was prepared for maybe not being able to use it, so I only really offered a token arguement when it beeped and he said he couldn't use it.

However, I finally remembered to buy my Green Bag Tag. It was sitting on the counter right where I check out, right in my line of vision, rather than off to the side jumbled up with a bunch of other stuff I barely pay attention to.
At the end of checking out, he shoved my stuff across the counter at me, and says he can't give me a bag because I bought the bag tag! 
The stupid tag didn't come with a bag, nor does the sign say (I don't think it said?) "Bring a bag to carry your crap before you buy this tag!"

I'm PMSing this week, and that.just.really.flew.all.at.me.  I took it pretty hard, lol. 
I didn't say anything to the guy, though. I'm pretty sure he was just doing what he was told. But I was ticked.
Alot of people complain about Walgreens, and loooooove CVS, but I am the opposite.

$6.00 Glade
$6.00 Glade
$5.00 Nyquil
$5.00 Nyquil
$5.00 Robitussin
$5.00 Robitussin
$  .99 Bag Tag
= $32.99
-5.00/$30 quiz q
-1.50 Nyquil P&G 11/01
-1.50 Nyquil P&G 11/01
-2.00 Robitussin IP q
-2.00 Robitussin IP q (Now I see he missed one of these)
-4.00 Glade 10/18 SS
-4.00 Glade 10/18 SS
-6.99 ECB
-3.00 ECB
= $5.00
+1.96 tax
= $6.96 oop

Received $10.00 ECB Nyquil/Robitussin
Received $4.00 Glade
Received $4.00 Christmas Catalog wyb $20 voucher

= $1.05 profit (should have been $3.05)

Publix

I hit the last day of last weeks' sale and got a few more boxes of Rice Krinkies and a couple bags of marshmellows.

Lucky for me, Food Lion came out with a $1.50/3 Hamburger Helper coupon - just this morning, I think - and HH was on BOGO, so I was able to grab 12 boxes for a grand total of .54! Hamburger Helper isn't that great, but sometimes it's better than nothing, and can't complain about .04 a box, either. (I didn't really even pay anything a box after MMs, but the less something costs, the further my MMs go.)

Total Value Before Coupons: $90.27

Total After Coupons: -$1.81 + 2.70 tax = .89 oop

I did buy another $25.00 gift card, and it's probably another good thing that I did.  The man that was ringing me up was a "White Shirt", his tag read "Administrative Coordinator" (whatever that means), but he obviously wasn't the most experienced at cashiering, or at least in coupon usage. He first entered my $7/2 Phazyme coupons at $3.49, then told me he could only take off the dollar-something amount for my Glade candles, not the $2.00 the coupon was. I explained to him that Publix gets reimbursed the full amount of the coupon, so they go ahead and give full credit for the coupons.  He said Okay, and scanned them, but I got the idea he was just plactating me more than he understood what I was saying.

*Today was also the first day of the new weeks' sale, but I didn't go to it because I didn't see anything I wanted to buy from the new sale.

Food Lion

I finally looked through my coupon inserts, and saw a few good, new coupons that would make great triples-deals at Food Lion.  Hoping that (1) everyone else didn't see the coupons and run buy up all the stuff, and (2) that by some slim chance possibility maybe FL had restocked, me and hubby rode down to see what we could find.

What we found was...everyone else had found the new coupons and ran and got everything. And, alot of stuff was restocked...but nothing that was free after coupon was restocked. 
I was able to find 20 things to get, but for my hubby only 12.  There was plenty more we could have got had I wanted to pay for it, but it wasn't anything I needed.  Yes, it's great prices with coupon-triple, but if it's not something I need then it's not worth even .25 to me.  Okay, maybe .25, but not more. And the only thing that was .25 after coupon was Hot Pocket Breakfast things, and I don't have room in my freezer(s) for anymore frozen stuff. 

My balance was supposed to have been $1.41 plus tax. I thought that was a high enough amount that even if I got overage I'd be okay. I was wrong. It went .08 into the negative, so I had to spend another $1.00 to cover it.  The cashier had asked me to buy a Hershey bar to help them out, and usually I would have, but seriously, I felt queasy and nearly threw up even thinking about them. I have, like, 10 of those in my fridge as it is. That's not counting the probably 10 others we're already ate. (And don't even mention all the Halloween candy I got over the past month.)
Anyway, when it went in the negative, he was like, Uh-Oh, so I said real quick, Ok I'll buy one of the candy bars. My total was .94 cents.

My hubby's amount came out as I'd figured, no overage, at $2.50 plus tax.  I handed him the $1.00 OYNO I had gotten for buying (2) McCormicks, so his total was $1.82.

Target

(Not pictured: (4) cans Scrubbing Bubbles)

Was going by Target on the way to Mom's, too, so stopped in. Found the Santa Tater Heads!

Why'd I get two? Because they were there, I guess. I didn't need either one of them. I thought I wanted one for myself, because I do, or used to, collect Santa stuff, but I think I might remember getting rid of like 75% of my Christmas stuff, maybe all those Santas.  As for the other one, no idea. Don't have any little kids in my family that I give gifts to.

The problem is, I get excited seeing all the great toy deals all the shopper blogs are posting, and think I need to get them too. It's only .99, right. 

Yeah, .99 I didn't need to spend, plus tax.

Oh well.

The Pepto was a puzzle for me. I had a coupon for .75 off. I was going to use it at Food Lion, where it would triple to $2.25. That's getting more value out of my coupon.  But I would still paying $1.64 oop.

On the other hand, I had gotten overage on the Glade deals at Target, so I would be getting the Pepto free after coupon and paying $2.69 with the gift card. I still have a hard time thinking of overage as "free" money, so it still feels like I paid more for it at Target.

They didn't have any of the Up & Up Flushable Toddler Wipes :-(  I could really use those.

LOL, my husband asked me for some flushable wipes to take to the fire dept. yesterday and all I had was the Disney Princess Pull-Ups ones.  He said he didn't care and took them, lol. I bet he got teased like crazy.

Also no MM Glade deal :-(

The sheets are black Jersey t-shirt material twin sheets that were on clearance for $4.98. My youngest son will love these.  I probably won't so much when Kitty gets his white fur all over them. They'll look more like zebra sheets then.

The cat food was free with the BOGO and Target BOGO coupons, and I did the Scrubby Bubbles deal again. Gave those to my Mom. I already have 8 cans (with coupons for more), and I just don't clean that much anyway!

Value before Coupons: $38.18

Total Spent: $15.81 + $2.06 tax = $17.87 paid w/ gift cards

Got $5.00 gift card for Scrubby Bubbles

Get $5.00 SC Johnson Rebate for Scrubbing Bubbles (I think?)

Food Lion

(Not pictured: (2) McCormick Parsley Flakes, (6) Pouches BumbleBee Tuna, (2) Mt. Olive Sweet Salad Cubes)

Since I was driving by anyway, thought I'd pop into Food Lion and see if there was anything left on the shelves. Surprisingly, there was.

Everything I bought today was freebies, should have been only tax after coupons. I grabbed a Fanta Orange drink just in case (and I was thirsty). Sure enough, I got some overage, don't know on what.

The Fanta Orange was $1.39, and my tax was .35, but the total amount I spent, including tax, was .75 cents.

But I got another $1.00 OYNO from McCormick, so I actually made .25 cents. YaY!

The stuff that's not pictured I gave to my Momma when I went by her house this afternoon to eat some birthday cake with her and get my prezzie ($$). Except she said I had to buy myself something with it, not groceries. ::pout::  Kind of funny, though. Before, I had in mind all kinds of things I'd like to have if I had some spare money. Now I can't seem to think of a thing I want.

Publix

(Not pictured: 6 newspapers)

This Publix takes Wags RRs, so I was able to use a $10.00 RR for my papers, and towards the milk and Bacon Bits. The Knox, Bear Naked, and Yakisoba paid for the rest, and added to my gift card balance.

$2.36 Newspapers x 3

$2.59 Milk x 2

$1.59 Bacon Bits

(No coupons)

$1.39 Knox Gelatine

-4.00 IP q

= +2.61 overage

$1.59 Bear Naked Bars

-2.00 IP q

= +.41 overage x 5

$0.79 Yakisoba

-  .50 (doubled) SS 10/18

= +.21 overage x 5

$1.89 BOGO Betty Crocker Frosting

-  .50 (doubled) GM 11/15

=  +.11 overage x 3

$3.99 BOGO Rice Krispies

-1.00 RP 11/08 x 2

-1.00 Target IPq x 2

= +.01 overage

$1.29 Marshmellows

-1.29 Peelie Free wyb (2) Rice Krispies

= 0.00

-10.00 Wags RR

Total Before Coupons: $38.09

Total After Coupons: -2.20 + .69 tax = -1.51

*I did buy another $25.00 gift card, and paid with my previous gift cards, but I found it was easier to just figure the transaction here without including the gift card amount.

The -1.51 overage amount is how much I increased my gift card amount this time.

Walgreens

(Not pictured: 4 newspapers & 2 bottles Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice)

I decided to wait until today to go to Wags so I could spend those RRs I needed to get rid of on newspapers.

I was happy with my shopping trip at the first Wags, it worked out alot easier than I was expecting.

I had $24.00 RRs to burn/roll, and turned out I was able to make (2) transactions of $12.87 each, and didn't need any useless junk for fillers.

$2.50 Sunday Paper Bundle

$3.79 Welch's Grape Juice

-1.29 Wags in-ad coupon

-2.00 IP Q

= .50

$ .50 Keebler/Austin Crackers x 6

= 3.00

$3.79 Lubriderm Lotion

$3.79 Lubriderm Lotion

$3.79 Lubriderm Lotion

-2.00 RP 10/11

-2.00 RP 10/11

-2.00 RP 10/11

-1.00 Wags Q Diabetes & You booklet

(Takes of $3.00 total)

= 2.37

Received $8.00 RR = $5.63 MM

$7.00 Dulcolax

-3.00 Peelie on the Bottle

= 4.00

Received $4.00 RR = Free

$1.00 Ricola Mixed Berry Vitamin C

- .50 Healthy Savings Booklet

= .50

Received $1.00 RR = .50 MM

Total $12.87

Spent $12.00 RRs/ .87 + 1.70 = $2.57 Cash

Recieved $13.00 RR

Final Cost: $1.57 oop

After that I went over to the other Wags. They didn't have any bundled papers, but they also had 6 Lubriderm lotions stocked. I had found some Theraflu IP q's in my envelope I hadn't realized I had.

$5.00 Theraflu

$5.00 Theraflu

-2.00 IP q

-2.00 IP q

-2.00 Healthy Savings and/or Diabetes & You booklet

(took off $4.00 total)

= 2.00

Received $3.00 RR = $1.00 MM

$3.79 Lubriderm Lotion

$3.79 Lubriderm Lotion

$3.79 Lubriderm Lotion
-2.00 RP 10/11
-2.00 RP 10/11
-2.00 RP 10/11
-1.00 Wags Q Diabetes & You booklet
(Takes of $3.00 total)
= 2.37
Received $8.00 RR = $5.63 MM

$ .50 Keebler Crackers x 2
= 1.00

$1.00 Ricola Drops
- .50 Healthy Savings booklet
= .50
Was supposed to have received $1.00 RR but it didn't print so they gave me a form to send in for a Walgreens Next Shopping Order Coupon by Mail. Since I have to pay .44 for a stamp, it makes it not so good a deal, so I'm probably not even going to count it.

$1.49 Trident Layers Gum
$1.49 Trident Layers Gum
-1.49 BOGO SS 10/18
- .75 IP Q
= .74
*I also had a Bonus Wags coupon to take .50 off each pack of gum, but didn't pay attention to the expiry date, which was yesterday, so it beeped and wouldn't work. Oh well.

Total $6.61

Spent $5.00 RRs/ 1.61 + 1.42 = $3.03 Cash
Recieved $11.00 RR

Final Cost: $2.97 Profit

Target

or, Why To Check Out in The Young Guy's Line

Target was out of the Santa Mr. Potato Heads and Up & Up Wipes. I was feeling discouraged, sure I was going to end up walking out with nothing today. 

I figured I might could get the Scrubby Bubbles deal again, and walked to the back, and was surprised! to see they had several of the Glade tins and refills on the shelf.  So I grabbed 5 and 5.

Also got 4 Scrubby Bubbles, and a couple things of Fancy Feast cat food.

I earned (2) $5.00 Gift Cards for buying (5) each of the Glades.

Today my Glade coupons worked fine, no beepage like at the other Target. The $1.50 came off, then he scanned the BOGO coupon and it asked something like "What is the Amount of the Coupon?". Instead of typing in the price of the item, $2.50, he typed in the price limit on the coupon, $3.99.

(No sermons, they get reimbursed for it.)

Same with the cat food, the Target coupon automatically took off $1.20, but then the manuf. coupon asked for a price and he looked at the coupon and typed in $1.50. 

Niiiiicccccceeeee!

Total Before Coupons: $37.56

I paid $3.41 + 1.50 tax = $4.91 from one of the gift cards I'd gotten last time.

My total from the last shop was a profit of $2.91, including $15.00 worth of gift cards, sooooo, this deal was free, plus $15.00 more in gift cards.

Or maybe it cost $2.00 of my gift cards?  I'm so confused.

And then there's the $5.00 SC Johnson Rebate (if I have any addresses left at this point).

Publix, Publix

Stopped in at my old favorite Publix to catch the last of last week's sales, hoping they would be out of Nestle Tollhouse Morsels so I could get a raincheck and order some more coupons to buy them with later. Of course they were well stocked.  Oh well, the cookies have gone on sale a couple of times already, hopefully the morsels will again, too.

I had more coupons to get free potatoes and Special K, and I wanted to get some more graham crackers at $1.00 a box. I want to make some of these for Christmas.

The Knox, Yakisoba, and Bear Naked bars paid for the rest of the cost of the crackers.

I did EarthyMama's suggestion of buying a $25.00 gift card along with my groceries, to make my oop seem higher than it really was.  Since I had $24.43 worth of Kraft rebate gift cards left, although my total came up to $25.03, my oop was really only .60 cents. 
I don't think that would have phased this cashier, who I know is experienced with couponers, but my next shopping trip probably would have freaked the girl out.

Next I went to my old first favorite Publix - which has apparently been suffering some coupon abuse (real or imagined, I don't know).  The last time I was there, a few weeks ago, the cashier guy told me they were limiting purchases to (2) BOGO deals, because "Convenience Store Owners" were coming in and clearing the shelves and reselling the stuff.  Since I drive an hour to go there, it's not worth me going for (2) BOGO deals. (Or cleared shelves either, for that matter, so either way...)

In the meantime I have read some posts on shopper's blogs that they've been changing what competitor coupons they take and such.

So, today I do my shop and go to checkout and the cashier asks for my coupons up front. So I give them to her and she proceeds to spread them out all over the counter.  She asked the cashier behind her something about the Target coupons, 'doubling up', I couldn't hear her very clearly, but I guess she was told it was okay.
But then she starts telling me that they can only take one manufacturer coupon per item and I couldn't 'double up' my frosting coupons, so which one did I want to use (I had 2 printable coupons and 1 insert coupon).  I told her I didn't understand what she was talking about, and she asked how many frostings did I have. I said threeeee (which she would have known had she rang my stuff up before trying to sort and pick through coupons, or at least at the same time).
So then she was like, oh, then that'll work. I said, I'm not trying to cheat you. She said she knew, they just had a new coupon policy, they have to make sure it's done right.

So I don't know what's happened to this place to make it change so drastically, so suddenly. Not even a month ago this was the best Publix I ever shopped at. Everyone was majorly friendly about coupons, welcoming, and the store is just beautiful.   The Publix stores I've been shopping at lately are good about taking coupons, but the stores just aren't beautiful like that one.

I only got (2) BOGO deals on everything except the Rice Krispies, and the cashier didn't say anything about a limit of (2) deals. So I don't know if that's still in effect or not.

I got another $25.00 gift card here. I handed it to her when she asked for my coupons, so she rang up the $25.00 first and gave me the card.  I think she probably forgot about it by the time she went through all the coupons and everything, so my $22.45 balance didn't freak her out.

$1.89 Betty Crocker Frosting BOGO
-  .50 (doubled) IP Q or SS 10/25

$2.39 Green Giant Steamers BOGO
-  .50 (doubled) IP Q

$1.89 Chinet Dinner Napkins BOGO
-1.00 IP Q

$3.99 Rice Krispies BOGO
-1.00 RP 11/08
-1.00 Target Q

$1.29 Marshmellows
-1.29 Peelie wyb 2 Rice Krispies

$ .79 Softsoap
-  .40 (doubled) IP Q

Total Value Before Coupons: $36.96 (or $61.96 w/ $25.00 Gift Card)
Spent: $21.29 +  1.16 tax = $22.45 from previous Gift Card

Remaining on previous Gift Card $2.55
Still have $25.00 Gift Card

Help! What did I spend/make? 
*After my first purchase, I had $23.83 of my Kraft Rebate Gift Cards left.

After this purchase, I have $2.55 left on one gift card, and a $25.00 gift card, so a total of $27.55.
Subtract the $23.83 I originally had, I think I've increased my rebate amount by $3.72.

Right?

CVS

Earlier in the week I rolled over some ECBs and bought my first $20.00 worth of batteries and got the $10.00 off "UP" DVD coupon.

Today I went back and got another $20.00 worth of batteries and the DVD. Buying the batteries and the DVD at the same time automatically took $10.00 off the price of the DVD. Then I was able to use my $10.00 off coupon that I had gotten on Monday, and got the DVD for free.

Final Totals:
$21.99 ECBs (what I started with; all the ECBs I had)
$11.75 cash

*Used the free $4.00 ECB wyb $20.00 card from the Christmas Catalog. I guess you would say that brought my real final total down to $7.75, but since I had planned to burn all the ECBs and be done with it, this free $4.00 ECB is like a new start, new deal to me. It doesn't count on the last deal in my mind.

Walgreens

I went to Walgreens with still only a half-azz, no real plan for rolling/blowing RRs.

For my first transaction I got the Almay foundation, free after RR, and the Cold medicene deal, free after RR, and the Cranberry juice, free after coupons.  This came up to so-n-so amount, and I needed another couple of dollars of stuff to come up to the amount of RRs I wanted to spend. There was a coupon for a free dozen eggs wyb the bread, so that seemed a good deal for my money. Still a bit short I bought a thing of salt since it keeps and we'll use it eventually.

Who knows, they way things are going, it may end up being more valuable than gold again and I'll be a millionaire-ess. HA!

Spent $22.00 RRs, and .22 + 1.97 tax = 2.19 cash....Total $24.19

Received $10.00 RR Almay and $10.00 RR Cold Meds

Total cost $4.19 (toooo much!)

Then I went 'cross town to another Wags for Transaction #2. Got the Almay makeup, free after RR, and cranberry juices, free after coupons, and the Clabber Girl baking powder, free after coupons (maybe overage?).  They had the $6.99 Neosporin here, and a good cashier on duty, so I decided to try the deal. I wasn't even going to try using two Wags coupons on the same items with any other cashiers.
The chocolate covered cherries and Palmer candy was fillers for either bringing the amount total up to the RRs I wanted to spend, or item-to-coupon ratio, I can't remember.
(Oh, you don't see the chocolate covered cherries in the picture, because I ate them. Yep, all of them. There was only 6, and I spent alot of time in the car driving, lol.)

Spent $14.00 RRs, and .39 + 1.45 tax = $1.84 cash....Total $15.84
Received $10.00 RR Almay and $8.00 RR Neosporin
Total $2.16 Profit

Even though, this week, I have rolled $48.00 worth of RRs, I still have $24.00 worth of smaller amount RRS, mainly $1.00 from the Glade and Halls deals last month.  I was out of cold meds and neosporin coupons, and they didn't have any of the other FARR or MM's in stock.  To roll them on the Almay I would've need up to 9 fillers.
It would have made sense to just burn them, on...something. But I couldn't. At one item per RR, about the best I'd be able to find to buy was candy, and the thought makes me kindly queasy, after all the Halloween candy we've been through, and still have. (Chocolate covered cherries don't count, lol.)
I also don't need tissue paper, Christmas pencils, paper bags, cookies, travel size toiletries, medicene of any kind.
Anything I would want to buy, like for Christmas gifts, cost too much. Wish I could use 24 RRs on one item!

Anyway, I've GOT to figure out something to use them on before they get any more expired and I get called on them. The register will probably beep eventually.

Food Lion Triples

Food Lion decided to have triples again this week. I got to the closest one to me as soon as I was able, shortly after 10am. They were already almost out of ketchup and muffin mix and Dr. Pepper.  A lady in front of me loaded her buggy up with 20 Dr.P's, but was nice and asked if I wanted some. 

When I finished, my balance should have been .59 plus tax.  Obviously I got overage on something, don't know what, but it went $1.55 in the negative.  The cashier had no idea what was going on. I said Oh, oh, I went in the negative, didn't I?  She said No your total is $1.55. So I gave her $2.00 and she tried to enter it and of course the register flipped out.

So she called her Manager over and said about the minus sign thing again that had happened the other time.

The Manager scanned a package of cigarettes, and I don't know what happened, but the register went back to the -1.55, and she said I was going to have to buy something else because they couldn't give me money back. So I grabbed a couple of cans of the Del Monte fruit for $1.00 each that was in a nearby bin, and my final total was .51 oop.

I got to the next Food Lion later in the afternoon. I wasn't really worried about getting there so quick because the past couple of times they had been stocked for a couple of days before running out of stuff.

I guess I should have guessed by the changes at Publix that there are more couponers in the area now. They were already out of alot more stuff I was wanting, and I had to get stuff I really didn't need like spagetti noodles and paprika and parsely flakes.  I did, however, get a $1.00 OYNO catalina from McCormick. That was a surprise.

They were completely out of the $2.25 (free w/ coupon) ketchup, and I knew the other FL would be too, and they apparently don't restock at all before the next week's sale, so I just went ahead and got the larger size ketchup, which I ended up paying .64 a bottle for. Not free, but alot better than full price.

I also bought a bottle of Karo syrup, for $1.00.  I don't know if Publix ever has these on BOGO or not so if this is the best price I can get I wanted to get one for Christmas baking.

Checking out was a different experience. The cashier wouldn't take my MVP card, and asked for my coupons and scanned them before my MVP card. She said they were doing it different this time, it was too confusing the other way. I have no idea what she was talking about.  Because if anything was a sale item, the coupon would triple to the amount of the item before the sale price came off, and then scanning the card last would give overage. Wouldn't it?  I would think that would be what they were trying to prevent?

Oh well, whatever, my total came out .06 less than I had figured. I paid $4.12 oop, and got $1.00 OYNO, so total oop was $3.12.

Kroger

Kroger sent me an envelope of coupons in the mail, and four of them were Store coupons for FREE stuff: Free Head of Lettuce, Free Kroger Salad Dressing, Free Cheerios, and Free Kroger Frozen Vegetables.

While I was out, I figured I'd go ahead and spend them. I have, in the past, put off spending coupons too long, waiting for a sale or deal or something, and end up having the coupons expire and missing out altogether.

I had a Free Idahoan Potatoes Catalina, and a $2.00 OYNO Catalina from buying I Can't Believe It's Not Butter last week.

I bought a jug of milk with my $2.00 OYNO coupon.

The bread was a Manager's special at .49 each for the loafs and 8-pack hamburger buns, and the Apple Juice was on sale for .99 cents.  My middle son loves apple juice and that's a good price for it.

Value Before Coupons: $12.97

Total Spent: $2.45 + .16 tax = $2.61

Walgreens

I wasn't ready for a Wags shop today, but had the coupons for Lubriderm and Cold Medicene deals. I stopped in a Wags I don't usually shop at, but figured I could look for the coupon books anyway.

The Brach's candy was priced .70, and clearanced 50% off that, so .35 each. I love these kind of candies, so bought 5 bags as fillers to be able to use 5 RRs.

They only had 3 bottles of the Lubriderm lotion.

Cold medicene deal:

Buy $20 worth of select Benadryl, Tylenol, Zyrtec Allergy Relief, Children’s Zyrtec and Sudafed PE or DM=$10RR

Buy 3 boxes of Tylenol Cold 20-24 ct. $4.99 each=$14.97
Buy 1 box of Sudafed PE $5.99
Total=$20.96

Use three $2/1 Tylenol Cold coupons from here
Use one $2/1 Sudafed PE coupon from the 9/13RP
Or use the $2/1 Sudafed coupon from the ABC coupon booklet
Plus, use the $1/1 Tylenol Walgreens coupon from the Healthy Savings Booklet (Will deduct $3 since you're purchasing three)

Pay $9.96
Get back a $10RR

Final cost all FREE!

I had also found the $1.00 peelies on the Ocean Spray Cranberry juice, on sale for $1.99. Coupled with the $1.00 Wags q from the November coupon book, should have been free.
But, apparently the Wags coupon is only for a certain kind: Pomegranite or 100% Juice Cranberry Cocktail. I had Cranberry Juice Cocktail - I thought all Ocean Spray was 100% Juice.

Anyway, I gave all my manu. coupons first, then my RRs, and last my Ocean Spray and Tylenol Wags coupons.  Everything went through fine, until the Ocean Spray Wags coupon. Beep! Beep! Beep!
The cashier called for help, and the Leader person that came (had NO idea what she was doing) said that it was because they had to scan the Wags coupons first.  She messed with the register, and somehow added $1.00 onto my total, then decided to void the whole transaction and start over.
So she rerang everything, took off the Wags coupons first, then the rest. And of course my Tylenol and Ocean Spray coupons beeped because now there was overage involved. She didn't know that, though.

They decided I had gotten the wrong Ocean Spray, so went and got another kind. Coupon still beeped. Looked at the coupon, and come to find out it wasn't even for Ocean Spray Juice, but for fresh cranberries or craisins.  I had no idea (but the coupon did work on the juice, before the Wags coupon).

I just had them take the juice off altogether, and they had a Manager come over and override and enter the Tylenol coupons manually.

I spent $11.00 RRs and .71 + 1.53 tax = $2.24oop
Received $10.00 RR
Total cost $3.24