Rite Aid

I think I really like my Rite Aid. I haven't been there in months and months and was surprised at how helpful and friendly (even coupon-friendly) they all were. I waltzed in there at 9am and they still had tons of diapers! Hooray.

Retails: $73.07

Total Spent: $49.60

Percent Off: 32%

But the good deal wasn't in the purchase price, it's in the rebates. I will get a $25 Rite Aid gift card and a $2 rebate, for a total of $27 back. If you WERE to subtract that from what I spent (which we know that I DON'T do, thank you Budget-Police Matt), it is one sweet deal. I thought I was also getting a free pack of diapers for the future, but I misread something or other and the Swimmers don't count for that rebate. I wonder if I should take those back?

Here are the deals:

• Spend $50 on participating products and get a $25 gift card
• buy a mega pack and get $2 rebate
• buy 5 huggies packs, get a coupon for a free 6th in the mail.

Coupons I used:

• did 2 transactions and used 2 5/$25 coupons
• used 5 $1.50 coupons

I was totally out of diapers- had like 3 diapers left- so this was very good timing. Thank you Rite Aid.

Buy Low. On Thursday?!

I went to Buy Low to pick up some of their meat deals that were all week long, and let me tell you, what a blessed experience it was to shop on there on a Thursday. I parked so close, I wasn't fighting carts. It was wonderful.

Retails: $76.75

Total Spent: $35.99

Percent Off: 53%

I got 2 packages of tortillas, fels naptha soap, about 16 lbs bone-in chicken breast, about 11 lbs ground beef, 2.25 lbs grapes, 1 lb peaches, and a dozen brown eggs.

How did I do it?

• Compiled my list from Savvy Shopper Deals
• only bought what was on sale
• coupons: $.35 (i got my fels naptha!)

Money Left for the Month: $143.23

removing blog links

When I first started seriously couponing, way, way, way back in February I was so excited about getting every deal anyone even imagined. I'm loosing that excitement. As a result, I am deleting a number of blogs from my Killer Blog List on the side. If you want to still follow them, add them to your favorites or something. I just don't check them any more.

• shopping with cents: http://shoppingwithcents.blogspot.com/
• deal seeking mom: http://www.dealseekingmom.com/
• fabulessly frugal: http://www.fabulesslyfrugal.com/

late night Albies run

FYI: the following is yet another pointless shopping story. Skip to the picture if you don't want to be annoyed.

Late last night I went to Albertsons to use my double coupons before they expired- I really needed fels naptha soap (I make my own laundry soap- super easy and cheap) and was excited to get my $.35 coupon doubled. Incidentally, who makes $.35 coupons? Really?

I got there and guess what? They don't carry fels naptha. I was positive Albertsons did. Nope. I wandered around for a LONG time trying to figure out what I was going to get because all of my ideas were not on the shelf. After FOREVER I finally had 3 things to double when I realized I left my doublers at home. Needless to say, this was not a good trip. However, I did come away with yet more Mac & Cheese. (to my defense, it was free.)

Retails: $22.93

Total Spent: $1.36

Percent Off: 94%

Plus I have $2 in catalinas to use on anything in the store in the next 2 weeks!

How did I do it?

• compiled list from Pinching Your Pennies
• sales: $9.48
• coupons: $11.00, including 2 free Flatbread coupons, $3 in catalinas, and a Buy 3 mac and cheese, get 1 free coupon
• when you buy 6 mac and cheese, it spits out a $2 catalina (like a gift card)

Money Left for the Month: $179.22

A $6 money maker

I got Foster Farms Dinosaur Nuggets at Buy Low last week for $3.99 and was happy to pay that price. Well, low and behold, I opened up the bag and check this bad boy out. I thought it was a coupon which I was happy enough to get, but no! I get a $10 check for doing a phone survey on my purchase. Sweet. I'm going to do it today, but I just had to tell you about it. There wasn't anything on the bag to tell me about it.

a wonderful albertsons trip

I have been wanting to do this deal for the last week, but haven't been able to get to the store until today around 9:30am. Much to my surprise my local store had everything I was looking for.

Retails: $58.24

Total Spent: $10.72

Percent Off: 82%

Plus I have $5 in catalinas to use on anything in the store in the next 2 weeks!

How did I do it?

• used database on pinching your pennies to compile my list
• sales: $28.47
• manufacturer's coupons: $11.00
• double coupons: $3
• plus I did a survey the other day that was on the bottom of my receipt that gave me a $2 credit that I used.

The $5 in catalinas were from the following:

• buy 5 tunas, a $1 catalina prints
• buy 6 Mac & cheese and a $2 catalina prints
• and my receipt printed another survey for another $2! Sweet. It took me like 3 minutes last time.

Money Left for the Month: $180.58

Walmart

On Saturday we had to get a new microwave so we went to Walmart. Hurray. While we were there, I picked up a few things we needed and some we didn't for the 4th. I, being the organized person I am, did not take a picture, so you're going to have to use your imagination. Also, you'll notice my percentage off was very low.

I think now is a good time to talk about how percent off doesn't actually mean anything, how the important thing is paying a very low price for what you're getting. If I buy something at Albertsons, my percentage off will be fabulous because they are so darn overpriced to start with. Walmart is considerably cheaper, so my price point (the price I'm willing to pay for something) is reached without coupons sometimes. Does that make sense? It sure helps rationalize everything for me so I feel better about posting this!

I got a gallon of whole milk, a dozen eggs, a big bag of Jolly Ranchers, and 2 theater sized boxes of candy.

Retails: $7.97

Total Spent: $6.22

Percent Off: 22%

How did I do it?

• coupons: $.75
• sales: $.53
• price matching: $.42

Money Left for the Month: $191.30

Buy Low

Retails: $22.01

Total Spent: $9.07

Percent Off: 59%

Sam got his "apple" today (2.5 lbs of cameo and 1.5lb of granny smith), along with 2 lb cherries, 2 lbs grapes, chicken nuggets we had rainchecked from last week, and 4 more things of hot dogs. Hot dogs. I swear, 1/2 my freezer is dedicated to hot dogs. I just can't turn down free. I'm imagining a statewide BBQ where we provide the hot dogs.

Notice the little mouse bite marks out of that granny smith apple on top of the bag? Apparently Sam was a bit excited.

Money Left for the Month: $197.52

A New Month!

July 1, budget starts over. Nice.

$200.00 + $6.59 left over from last month

July budget: $206.59

So many sales... bwah ha ha...

Pathetic, huh? Maybe I should look into getting a REAL hobby.