Monday, January 31, 2011

HonseTea CVS

I was hoping to be able to buy more coke on Sunday, but we haven't gotten a delivery yet. On the pallet sits 3 lonely cases of Dr. Pepper. There are only one or two diet cokes in the main aisle. I'll just have to wait until more comes in. I had purchased a single Honest Tea for lunch part of lunch one day. (Running late and no time to pack!) I figured I would go ahead and get 9 more for my $5 EB.

Also on sale this week is Always Infinity. I love this stuff so much! I was so excited to see it one sale. I think the bigger ones may have been on sale about a week or two ago, but I didn't notice until to late. I don't think I want ever use anything else. Too bad these things are mad expensive! $5.49 per box! (14-18 count)

Got a chance to use my raincheck as well. I've been waiting and waiting for the Planter's Nut*rition bars to come in. Finally we got two. I asked my co-worker nicely if he would ring up the two on sale and give my half of the extra bucks. The deal originally required four. (Buy 4 @ $2.50 each get $4 EB.) He rewrote the raincheck for the second two (half the extra bucks) and issued $2 extra bucks. Yippie! Maybe next week I can get the rest? (These are also on sale this week, but I only got $2 EB total. This week's sale isn't enough to entice me.)



3 Alway Infinity 16ct @ $3.99 each = $11.97
9 Bottles of Honest Tea @ $1.50 each = $13.50
2 Planters Nut*rition bars 5ct @ $2.50 each = $5.00
Total Before Coupons: $30.47

3 $1/1 Always Infinity
2 $1/1 Platers Nut*rition bars
Total After Coupons: $25.47

Received:
$5 EB wyb $15 of selected Coke & Kraft products
$2 EB Planters Nut*rition bars (raincheck!)
Net: $18.47 cost

A little high for me, but so worth it.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

CVS - Coke & Revlon

This week the little coupon machine had a surprise for me, $5 off 2 Revlon cosmetics. There are still lots of options to choose with the clearance. I'm not much of a lip stick person, but we only had one gloss left. I do try and get stuff I will use or know someone who will. I also spotted the Oreo cakesters on clearance as I put out all the labels for new items. To bad the double stuffed was still only 50%. The regular were 75%. Go figure?



3 Coke 12 pk @ $3.00 each = $9.00 (Not pictured)
2 Coke 2-liters @ $1.50 each = $3.00
2 Honest Tea @ $1.50 each = $3.00 (Drank one at work)
Revlon Lip Gloss $2.49 (75% clearance)
Revlon Lip Stick $2.49 (75% clearance)
Total Before Coupons: $19.98

$5/2 Revlon Cosmetics CVS coupon
$1.50 BOGO Coke 2 Liter (Recycle Bank offer)
Total After Coupons: $13.48

Received:
$5 EB wyb $15 of selected Coke Products
Net: $8.48

If I get a chance maybe I should try and poke around some other CVS to see what they have left in their food clearance. We still have lots of check out candy items, but I much rather look for cookies & crackers.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Rite Aid - Paid to Shop!

I didn't think there would be anything this week at Rite Aid. Maybe the light bulbs, but I much prefer the ones with the low wattage to save electricity. I bought a few in the past, but I really don't need them so I'll pass.

I saw a great Nature Made deal all over the blogs & forums, if you have All You Magazine. A few coupons are form last month's issue, but if you have Feb your all set. (You will need to get a second one for additional coupons.) That might mean multiple copies at Walmart for some. The gist of the deal is a double dip into the Healthy Heart & Nature Made purchase of $30.



2 CoQ10 30mg 30ct @ $11.69 each = $23.38 (reg $12.99, 10% discount)
1 Fish Oil 1200mg 100ct $9.44 (reg $10.49, 10% discount)
Total Before Coupons: $32.82

$4 off $20 purchase Jan VV (Watch a lot of commercials of Beauty products)
$3/1 Nature Made Fish Oil VV Feb
$6/1 CoQ10 All You Feb
$5/1 CoQ10 All You Jan
$4/1 Fish Oil All You Feb
Total After Coupons: $10.82 (used $7 +up, $2.81 GC & $1.01 Cash)

Received:
$10 +up Healthy Heart
$16 +up Nature Made
Net: $15.18 profit!

To bad I can't do that again. I could still make a decent killing on it, but then I think I would wipe out the store. They didn't have a lot in stock. One store had only on CoQ10 in the smaller size.

Saving Sunday - Late edition



There's has been so little in the mail of late. I actually got something, but forgot about it until today! Better late than never. Hoping for something in the up coming weeks.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Another CVS Trip

My mom asked me to get her some Izzy this week. As the 'extra' from last week carried over (including a 2 litter I bought for mom) I only needed to buy 6 to get the EB. No coupons this time as I maxed out at both computers and mom already printed and used hers. By some sheer luck I ended up with the $10/1 Physicians formula coupon. No idea. I would have loved it more last week. I used in conjunction with the the Izzy so as to lower my OOP due to overage. Yeah! The cashiers are of the "What it scans for is what it is" verity.

I made sure this time that the BOGO coupons for the gum were rung up correctly. The cashiers will put it in for over the max amount if you don't tell them. I'm hoping that eventually they will start to read the coupons themselves. I think I'm starting to get one of them to really look at the coupons they are getting.



This was done in two transactions, but I'm putting it together as one for simplicity.

6 Izzy 4-packs @ $2.99 each = $17.94
Physician's Formula $2.62 (75% clearance)
2 Reach Floss @ $.99 each = $1.98 (These are one sale until 01/31 for $.99)
Snickers Peanut-butter $.89
Blink Tears $7.99
2 Crest Pro Health @ $2.99 each = $5.98
4 Orbit Gum @ 1.29 each = $5.16
4 Orbit Gum FREE (BOGO Sale)
Total Before Coupons: $42.56

$10/1 Physician's Formula CVS Coupon Machine
$3/2 Listerine, Reach Floss or Toothbrush CVS Coupon Machine
2 $1/1 Reach Floss IP (coupons.com I think)
$.89/1 Snickers Peanut-butter CVS Coupon Machine (Only seen with employee cards)
$4/1 Blink Peelie (We still have lots of these on the shelf)
2 $1/1 Crest 4.0oz+ Toothpaste
4 BOGO Orbit Max $1.00
Total After Coupons: $17.67

Received:
$10 EB wyb $20 Pepsi Products, Izzy (Would need another $19 to get a third time)
$4 EB Blink Tears
$4 EB Crest Toothpaste (two offers combined)
Net: $.33 profit (How exactly that happened I'm not entirely sure, but the math is right.)

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

CVS - Getting Drinks

I was excited by the Pepsi deal when I first saw it. Then changed my mind as I looked a head and found the Coke would be on special soon. Instead I got Izzy & Starbucks Frappuccino for roughly $.25 each can/bottle! That's an awesome deal for those.

Notice again I had my drink. Great tasting drinks are my down fall.


4 Izzy @ $2.99 each = $11.96
2 Starbucks @ $4.99 each = $9.98
Total Before Coupons: $21.94

4 $1/1 Izzy 4pk+ (Izzy Facebook page)
2 $1/1 Starbucks 4pk (forget which paper)
Total After Coupons: $15.94

Received:
$10 EB wyb $20 of Pepsi Product
Net: $5.94 cost

Now I need to buy more Izzy for my mom. To bad I can't get any more of the Izzy coupons. Those were so sweet! ^_^

Rite Aid - 3 Days Running!

I've been in out of Rite Aid for three days. Not all the same ones mind you. I originally hoped to score some free TP on my first trip, but everything was gone! I would have gone Sunday, but as I worked all say and had about ten minutes to get to the store before they closed I couldn't go. Win some, lose some. I did at least pick up 4 Hormel Chili for 4/$5 and got back 5 $1 +up! Wish I had known about the TGIF snacks then. They had about 5 bags on a peg.

My second stop brought me to my 'secret' Rite Aid. I seriously think this one is all but forgotten about except by people who are walking. They had tons of TP. No tissues though. I grabbed 4 4-packs. I didn't know Rite Aid Corporate put a limit on the deal of 3. Not going to fuss over $.90. (Love the discount.)



Store 1:
4 Hormel Chili @ $1.25 each = $5.00
Total Before Coupons: $5.00

$1.50/3 Hormel Products (All You Feb.)
Total After Coupons: $3.50 (used $3 +up)

Received:
5 $1 +up Hormel (4 for the monthly deal, 1 for buying 4)
Net: $1.50 profit

Store 2:
4 4-packs TP @ $.90 each = $3.60 (10% discount)
4 Hormel Chili @ $1.25 each = $5.00
Total Before Coupons: $8.60 (used $8 +up)

No Coupons!

Received:
3 $1 +up TP
5 $1 +up Hormel Chili
Net: $.60 cost

My second day I went back to the first store. I was hoping to grab 2-3 bags of TGIF snacks, but there was only one left on the shelf. Bacon & Cheddar flavor. I don't eat pork products and I don't want to eat flavored pork products either. These will go to my dad. I'll ask him to save the $5 off $15 TGIF restaurant coupon on the back. I also grabbed up the BOGO Dixie plates using the $3/2 VV coupon. What a steal! Sweetheart & I are always going through paper plates. Mostly because we don't have time or energy to do dishes. The other issue is my plates can not be microwaved.



Store 1 second trip:
4 Hormel Chili @ $1.25 each = $5.00 (They still have a lot left.)
Dixie 45ct plates $3.99
Dixie 45ct plates $0.00 (BOGO sale!)
TGIF Bacon & Cheddar Skins $.97
Total Before Coupons: $9.96

2 $.55/2 Hormel (IP available at Manufacture's web site, must register)
$3/2 Dixie Jan VV (Wish I had watched the Dec one)
Total After Coupons: $5.86 (used $5 +up)

Received:
5 $1 +up Hormel Chili
$1 +up TGIF
Net: $.14 profit

I wasn't going to go anywhere else figuring I had enough, but I was really close to the Resolution Rewards. I figured I would stop at two other Rite Aids to see what I could come up with to get it. No TGIF at either one. I was really hoping to grab more for my dad. I lucked out at both stores and managed to find 5 Hormel Chili at one and 4 at the other. Just enough to make them free. Didn't see anything else and with only $6 to go I went with Dixie plates and two of the $.97 snacks. $20 +up for me!



Store 3:

4 Hormel Chili @ $1.25 each = $5.00
Total Before Coupons: $5.00 (used $5 +up)

Received:
5 $1 +up Hormel
Net: FREE!

Store 4:
4 Hormel Chili @ $1.25 each = $5.00
Dixie 45ct plates $3.99
Dixie 45ct plates $0.00 (BOGO sale!)
2 Combos Snacks @ $.97 each = $1.94
Total Before Coupons: $10.93

$.50/1 (1 or 2?) Hormel VV Jan
$1 off purchase VV Jan
Total After Coupons: $9.43 (used $9 +up)

Received:
5 $1 +up Hormel Chili
$20 +up wyb $100 of selected products (Dec 26th - Jan 22nd)
Net: $15.57 profit

Grand Net: $1.50 profit + $.60 cost + $.14 profit + FREE + $15.57 profit = $16.61 profit!

Friday, January 14, 2011

CVS - X-Mas Clearance & Free Candy


These are so cute! They're perfect for any occasion. I think they look particularly wedding-ish being all silver.



Time for another CVS trip. Good deals this week on Christmas clearance (75% off, edibles 50%), with so much left over! It's ridiculous all the stuff we still have hanging around. I wish corporate would let us mark things down to 90% off, but nope. They'll have none of it. So much goes to waste. It makes me a little sad.

I try to keep my eye out for plain wrapping paper. The stuff that once you get further away from Christmas no one will really notice was Christmas wrap? Being that red is Sweetheart's favorite color & he loves snow I got some wrapping paper just for him. ^_^

The TP deal this week is really sweet! I'm very happy to be stocking up. I didn't really want to pay so much out of pocket, but luckily for me I got a $3/1 Cottonelle coupon for the Red Coupon Machine. Not my favorite, but it knocks the price down to something more reasonable. Paired up with two Scott's coupons I was ready to go!



2 Scott Extra Soft 24pk @ $10.00 each = $20.00
Cottonelle 18pk $10.00
Total Before Coupons: $30.00

2 $1/1 Scott TP or Paper Towel
$.50/1 Cottonelle
$3/1 Cottonelle 18pk CVS Coupon
Total After Coupons: $24.50

Received:
$10 EB
Net: $14.50 cost (but it's a lot of TP!)

I forgot my EB at home from buying my free candy. I wanted to use them buying the TP. :( I'll just have to use them latter. The dove bar was a $.50 MM thanks the the Red Coupon Machine. The Vitality gum was free after a coupon that I got at the bottom of my receipt. I've only seen CVS employees getting this one.




I had wanted to do the Mallox/Gas-X deal, but I didn't get any of those great $5/1 Mallox coupons. Nor does my store currently have stock enough for the Gas-X preventative to use those coupons. I'm hoping for some to come on the truck today. Also hoping that we run out of the Finish tablets so I can get a rain check & order some of those coupons. (I didn't get any of those either.) We'll see how the week works out.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Donation Box



It's been a while since I got to post a donation box photo or two. I'm way behind on my shopping for the week due to being sick all of Monday. It was terrible! I hope I'm never that sick again. UGH!



With that note it's no surprise I might not get to any more postings this week. I really need to make up some of the time I missed at one of my jobs, but I also think I need some time to relax. Today started three days of get up go to one job & then head to the next. 9am or so until 9:30pm. Ouch! At least I get a few breaks at each one, but still.

I'm debating about taking Friday morning off with Saturday being a long day, from about 7am until 4pm. Then I'm rushing off to my brother's birthday dinner. Only to more than likely get home late and work all day Sunday. One or two hour break before heading to Sweetheart's parents for dinner Sunday night. Yikes! I don't have an actual day off until the 22nd. I'll have to decide tomorrow.


A special donation that actually made it in time for Christmas. I managed to score this free after sign up credit on one of those group deal sites. Can't remember which one.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Rite Aid - Stay Free & Special K

I am hoping I can get a second trip to Rite Aid this week. I need to do some better planning. The only reason I managed this trip was I had all the coupons in my folder that I carry around with me. Most of my coupons I leave at home, because the binders are so heavy & I don't even know what's all in them! Hopefully there will still be stock tomorrow when I get off of work.

I must be there often as the two newest employees recognized me as I was carrying around the stay free in my arms. I remembered I had the other two BOGO Special K coupons with me & wanted to get them while I was there. She happily got me a car saying "I know how you shop with all your coupons." For some reason this makes me happy. LOL. Glad Sourpuss wasn't there to spoil the mood. ^_^



2 Special K Cereal @ $4.79 each = $9.58
2 Special K Cereal FREE (BOGO Sale)
8 Stay Free pads @ $2.50 each = $20.00
Total Before Coupons: $29.58

2 $4.49 BOGO Special K Cereal (Max value of coupon, point it out to cashier.)
4 $2.50 Stay Free BOGO (coupons.com)
Total After Coupons: $10.61 (Used $10+up & $.60 GC)

Received:
4 $2 +up Stay free
4 $1 +up Snack
Net: $1.40 profit!

Aside: No Saving Sunday this week. The mail was not as kind. :(

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Freebies!



When my Sweetheart went to Giant to get my weekly newspapers he found some free coupons! Why people just left all this lying around is beyond me. So I went & made a special trip just with these. Too bad they were out of the Breath Rights. Sweetheart could have used those last night. The vitamin water Q wasn't for a free product per-say. Giant does have vitamin water on sale this week for $1. I thought I would give it another try as it was free. (I haven't liked they in the past at all.) As an added bonus I found a coupon for free OJ! They were out of that as well, but I have some time to use up the coupons.




The pasta wasn't free from Giant, but from Weis. They have it on sale for $1 & I happen to get a $.50/1 Q which they doubled to $1! Sweet!

Friday, January 7, 2011

Rite Aid - Cereal!

Cereal time! I got lots of cereal cheap at Rite Aid this week. I was expecting to get it free, but one of the +ups didn't print like I expected. I'm missing $5 +up wyb $15 Special K. I think it may have been a fluke earlier in the week because the cereal wasn't listed in the ad flier. I still got a lot for very little. Maybe next week?



2 Kashi cereal @ $2.50 each = $5.00
4 Special K cereal @ $4.31 each = $17.24 (10% discount)
2 Wet Ones @ $1.99 each = $3.98
Total Before Coupons: $26.22

2 $3/1 Kashi (one from recycle bank & one from vocal point)
2 $4.31 BOGO Special K (IP, no longer available from what I can tell)
2 $1/1 Wet Ones (IP)
$1 off purchase (DEC VV)
Total After Coupons: $8.60 (used $8 +up, $.60 GC)

Received:
$1 +up wyb 2 Kashi
4 $1 +up wyb Food Snacks (Special K)
2 $1 +up Wet Ones
Net: $1.60 cost (Would have been $3.40 profit if $5 +up had printed)

CVS - Almost Finished

I started out the week by testing to see if Get It While It Lasts Revlon products would generate EB when you buy two. Sadly it did not. The 2 nail polish was just under $3 ($2.90 for 2) so I decided not to return them. I might pass them on to my sister or perhaps a friend who has hit a bit of a rocky patch with her boyfriend.

I want to finish off the Excedrin deal this week, but I am waiting on deliver (today) to see if we get in some of the 'cheaper' Excedrin. Also hoping that it comes with some planter's nuts bars that are 4/$10 get $4 EB. I have 3 $1 Q, so 4/$3 isn't bad. Here's hoping!



Excedrin PM 20ct $4.99
Excedrin Migraine 24ct $5.49
Excedrin Extra Strength 50ct $6.99
2 Revlon Files @ $3.19 each = $6.38
Total Before Coupons: $23.85

$3.50/1 Excedrin PM (mail)
$5.99/1 Excedrin Extra Strength (mail, 'free' maxim value allowed)
$5.49/1 Excedrin Migraine (mail, 'free')
Total After Coupons: $8.87

Received:
$7 EB
Net: $1.87 cost

Planning to buy Excedrin PM 20ct $4.99
Planning to use $1/1 Excedrin PM
Will Receive $10 EB
New Net: $4.14 profit!

I don't know about you but I'm excited by the Pepsi sale that's to start on Sunday. 6 12pk for $10? (After EB) I think I will mix in some other items rather than getting 6 12pk. Oooo! and free candy. Let's not forget candy. Not that it's needed around here. LOL.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

2011 Goals

There are many things I want to accomplish in 2011. I'm not sure I will be able to do it all, but I will give it a try. Some goals are financially oriented and others not so much. I want to make a list here so I can easily find them latter. I want to be able to say I can do it all, but life may well have other plans for me.

Finical Goals
~Listed in order of importance to me.

1. Buy A Car (A Reliable Car) - Not much of a choice on this one.
2. Rebuild Emergency Fund - Goal: $1000
3. Pay my parents Back - if applicable, could be up to $1000
4. Pay off another smaller loan - Would need an additional $150 to have it paid in Dec.
5. Save $750 for Cruise 2012! - If this doesn't happen I might not be able to go
6. Start a Gift Fund for Presents - So I'm not at the mercy of hoping to earn extra funds or using all my free money.

Non-Finical Goals
~No particular order
1. Develop a sleep pattern - I don't get enough sleep because I would go to bed too late and get up early. Maybe with my job being closer to home & not out until almost eleven I will be more consistent.
2. Lose 20lbs. - Better to aim for something than nothing at all. This is slightly less than 10% of my current body weight. I feel it would be a good start.
3. Do more stuff that doesn't involve sitting & playing games on the 'couch' (it's not really a couch, just my old twin bed).
4. No more dirty dishes in the sink @ the end of the night.
5. Clean the apartment more often. (Aiming for every other week.)

Monday, January 3, 2011

January Budget & Climbing

I'm afraid her time may have come. It's been a good 4 years.


December wasn't the easiest month. Lizzy is not fixed by any stretch of the imagination and I still have really been able to find a car in budget. It's frustrating the heck out of me! I came really close to getting a car, but someone else came in only a few hours after I did and had the thing on hold. I want a night to think about it, only to have it turned up on hold when I called two days latter and sold the next day. Ouch! Rotten luck that.

It's really been discouraging that so many people shake their heads when I ask if they have a car for under $2500, or even $3000. Just wish I could find something. I need one soon. Lizzy is now most definitely leaking coolant. Her temperature light came on today. The mechanic filled it when I had her looked at for the stall problem. So it was an emergency stop for me to grab some coolant from K-Mart. *sighs*

This is going to wipe me clean. All the leaping and bounding I feel that I've done in my effort to climb out of this hole of debt is going to come to a stand still. Nothing to be done. I might even need to borrow money from my parents to get a good car. Taking a few steps back so I can move forward. I'm not looking forward to it.

2011



I am hoping for a good year. I am planning on a good year, although I will not be climbing out of debt as fast as I was. I can happily say I do have one less loan to worry about this year. It wasn't a big one, but it does free up about $25/month. Some breathing room as I am about to take a 4-5 hour cut a week on average at my main job. (CVS)

The Budget:
Bills (Electric) $103
Bunnies $30
Car Insurance $36 *Slightly more than I needed, may go up with a new car.
Cellphone $36 *Adjusted to compensate for unlimited family texting plan
Free Money $40 *Varies slightly depending on second job
Gas $190 *Hoping once I get a 'new' car I can adjust this down
Groceries $100
Rent $280
Savings $65 *I need to rebuild the emergency fund
Student Loans $472 *One Less Loan

Grand Total: $1352/month (Take home pay.)

Extra Funds Notes:
1. Health up to $28
2. Clothing up to $40
3. Everything Else: Emergency Fund

Dreamsacpe: An image that lingers in my mind. 2nd rendition



Monthly Climb!!!
Grand Total Last Month: $43,528.26
New Grand Total: $43,140.15
Amount Paid Off: $388.11


Not quiet the grand finally that I was waiting for. On the up side since keeping careful track of all my debt I've managed to pay off a grand total of $3932.22! Not to shabby. Some of it would have come off over the normal coarse of paying it down, but not all of it. I'm getting there.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Saving Sunday - Mailbox!



Thoughts:

~Kashi! This was a sample from Vocal point & it came with a high value coupon. I'm hoping to score some cereal for cheap with this.

~Purina, more goodies for Mutti's girls.

~Burt's Bee's, I had forgot about this. I love all natural products.

~Coffee, I'll take these to the office as a special treat. That or buy myself a french press so I can have some at home. That sounds like a good idea. ^_^

Saturday, January 1, 2011

CVS - On Time!

I'm so glad that I had an extra day off this week. I really needed a bit of a recharge. I've been able to get the living area cleaned up & I'm getting to post on my blog! W00T! I could use a few more days, but I need to get some money quick because Lizzy stalled again on Thursday morning. Not much luck in my car search so far. At least CVS had my favorite tea on sale this week. ^_^

See how much I love this tea? I already drank a bottle before arriving at home. I just could not resist.


6 Honest Tea @ $1.00 each = $6.00
Tone Body Wash $3.88
Total Before Coupons: $9.88

3 $.50/1 Honest Tea (Manufacture Web Site, wish I could get more)
$1/1 Tone Body Wash
Total After Coupons: $7.38

Received:
$2 EB wyb 3 Honest Tea (also included vitamin water, but I'm not a fan)
$3 EB Tone Body Wash
Net: $2.38 cost

I told my mom about the tea coupons & she had me print them at her house. We used my dad's card and did the same deal but only got 3 bottles. A very happy Mutti. (FYI: Mutti is German for mother.)