Friday, September 30, 2011

CVS - Part II!


I actually bought these on Monday, but Tuesday morning I woke up really sick. Fevers are a funny thing. I started feeling better by Thursday, just not up to doing much. I thought I would get in a post, but my computer will not read my XD card. WHAT? It's slowly dieing . . . My CD drive died about a year ago, the sound died a month ago and now my SD/XD reader died. Currently my computer is telling me it's Jan 1st 2007?!

Crud. I need a new one.

So now I finally have my laptop up and running and got my picture onto it via my boyfriends computer and am not sick. So on with the trip!

2 Colgate Optic White @ $2.45 each = $4.90
Renu Sensitive $8.99
Soft Soap Body Wash $3.00
Soft Soap Bar Soap $3.00
Total Before Coupons: $19.89

2 $1.50/1 Colgate Optic White (from a Smart Source)
2 $1/1 Colgate Optic White CVS (my boss said it's a store coupon, so there it goes)
$2/1 Renu Sensitive
$1/1 Soft Soap Body Wash
$1/1 Soft Soap Bar Soap
Total After Coupons: $10.89 (I can't find my receipts for the tax)

Received:
$2.00 EB Colgate Optic White (manual print, 2 offers, limit 2)
$7.00 EB Renu Sensitive
$4.00 EB Soft Soap
Net: $2.11 profit! Love my CVS!

Monday, September 26, 2011

CVS - It's been too long . . .

Mostly summer clearance and the St Joseph's baby aspirin that was free after EB.


While I haven't stopped shopping at CVS (I work there after all), I have stopped posting all my trips. Now that I am no longer employed at my part time job (see here) perhaps I will have time and energy to actually get around to posting more regularly. Seems like it's good timing with some good weeks not to long past.


This is from two weeks ago. The Fig Newton Fruit thins were a nice freebie. I really wanted to try these since I've seen them out, but didn't want to pay for them. They also don't exactly fall into my 'less processed' food plans. (See here.) I think I may have some rules for myself soon, but I'm still toying around with a few ideas. I was lucky to get this as about 1/2 through the week or so the coupon stopped printing. I think it was underestimated how many stores got and people ran out quick.

Free tampons, free allergy 5ct (this kind actually worked for Sweetheart!) and a bottle of vanilla (because mine 'home made' hasn't matured yet in it's flavor) for 75% off wraps up the week. Oh! The Reese's are a favorite of Sweethearts and he had a birthday not long before that so I got them as a special treat. I nabbed a bag for $1! (Sale $2, and a $1/1 10-20oz bag from the coupon center.)


I still have two or three items to get this week. I would wait to post, but I don't want to procrastinate because that's what got me off track from posting in the first place. (Hoping for toothpaste, contact solution & body wash.)

3 Dawn Dish soap @ $.99 each = $2.97 (raincheck)
2 Excedrin Migraine 8ct @ $.99 each = $1.98 (I gave these to a friend last night. ^_^)
Thermacare 1ct $3.79
Schick Quattro for Women Cartridges 4ct $8.99
Total Before Coupons: $17.73

3 $1/1 Dawn Dish Soap (Hand Renewal Only), adjusted down to $2.97
$5/1 Schick Quattro for Women Razor or Cartridges (Coupons.com, no longer available)
Total After Coupons: $9.76 + $.12 tax

Received:
$1.98 EB Excedrin (limit 2)
$3.79 EB Thermacare
$4.00 EB Schick Quattro for Women
Net: $.11 cost (so basically a little bit of tax!)

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Saving Sunday - Shrinking Packages?


Is it just me or are P&G packages getting smaller? At the beginning of the year Tide went from 50oz to 40oz. (Did anybody else catch it?) Now they are making their dish soap smaller. It's easy to miss the changes until you see the bottles side by side. I wish companies would just raise the prices rather than shrink the package size. It just feels sneaky.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Saving Sunday - Mailbox!

Okay, I'm posting this on Monday. (Luckily I can back date this.) I'm behind on my blogging. I thought I was all caught up, but nope. Running late, again. Why? My boss let me know that as of the 23rd I would no longer be employed at my part time job. He would keep me if he could ("I want to take this out as long as I can"), but the company acquiring his doesn't need me. That doesn't really inspire me to blog much. The good news is I'll get one more paycheck this month, so I can keep my current budget. ^_^


These are items I've gotten in the past month. I haven't been keeping up the the free items as much as I would like. I still love getting these in the mail. A gift to make me smile.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Donation Box

It's been some time since I did one of these posts. Deals are a bit fewer and harder to come by. I've also been tired and stressed lately, so with my busy schedule unnecessary shopping is being kept to a minimum. Lots of this stuff is from a while back and it was time to pack it up and give it away.




Friday, September 2, 2011

September Budget & Climbing


I'm worried. Worried about what will happen when my part time jobs ends. This month started out relaxing. I went camping with a few of my college friends. I had a great time, even though it rained & rained. There was a severe thunderstorm that caused us to sleep in our cars and and a house close by. (It was bad.) Still lots of fun, but that relaxed feeling is gone.

I have two budgets to run under for the month. I am assuming that before the month is out I will need to switch to the minimum budget. My Sweetheart has already agreed to pick up most of my part of the rent. I will only be able to afford 1/3 of what I currently do. My boss told me to expect about two weeks . . . I'm thinking he means the 15th. I was hoping to be able to finish out the month. *fingers crossed*


The Budget (regular)

Bills (Electric) $104
Bunnies $30
Car & Renter Insurance $46 *Forgot to change this last month
Car Repair $100
Cellphone $36
Clothing $20
Cruise 2012 $50 *A trip that's been in the works for about 3 years.
Free Money $40
Gas $120
Groceries $120
Health $20
Rent $310
Student Loans $372

Grand Total: $1368/month (Take home pay.)

*Extra funds to be put into savings as I'm not sure when exactly my job will end. I might need the money to 'cushion' a week to make the switch between pay check cycles.

The Budget - minimized


Bills (Electric) $100
Bunnies $30
Car & Renter Insurance $46
Car Repair $60
Cellphone $36
Clothing $10
Cruise 2012 $0 *Gotta make do with what I got.
Free Money $20
Gas $120
Groceries $120
Health $10
Rent $100 *Sweetheart will take over most of the rent when I'm down to one job.
Student Loans $372

Grand Total: $1024/month (Take home pay.)

*Extra funds, treated the same.



The Climb, I feel as if it is slowing to a crawl. I'm still getting somewhere . . . I'm just not sure how the next month will turn out. I had taken some extra funds this month before I knew for certain I would be losing my job shortly. I was really, really hoping I had until the end of the year. No such luck.

I don't really know where I can come up with extra money. Do I need an alternative to working a second job? (Selling on ebay? Creating something and opening an esty shop?) Should I try and find another part time job? Am I going to find one with such a flexible schedule? Will I have an understanding boss if I need to suddenly change my shift last minute? (That would be a tough one to find.) Will it pay as well as this job? If it doesn't, how many more hours will I need to work? Do I have the energy to work two jobs still?

The last question leaves me to believe I shouldn't jump to find something right away. I'm tired. I know there are other people who work two, three or more jobs to make ends meet. I'm running out of steam and fast. When I've been working too much it starts to affect my health. Headaches, stuffy nose (could be allergies or a cold), upset stomachs and digestive systems . . . I notice I feel better when I have just one extra day off. It's time for a break. So when this job is over I will not look for something else until January. I need to chill out.

Monthly Climb!!!
Grand Total Last Month: $40,125.68
New Grand Total: $39,763.80
Amount Paid Off: $361.88


I can get out of debt! I will get out of debt! Just have to do it one small step at a time. My steps might be smaller and slower, but I will do this.