Fry's Accepting Competitor's Coupons + Albies is quadrupling!

I'm so happy about this! For a limited time Fry's is accepting competitor's coupons, including Albies, Safeway, Bashas, WalMart, Fresh & Easy. Yeah! If you're using a F&E $3/$30 q (found in today's Republic) just be sure your total before coupons is $30. Hand them that q first then all other coupons. It's like instantly saving 10%! Remember Fry's and Safeway are quadrupling coupons this week also!

For another great deal at Fry's, go on over to redplum for a $1/1 Hefty One Zip coupon. These would be free at Fry's this week or everyday at WalMart.

Also, looks like Albertson's is quadrupling coupons through next Tuesday (9/8). Should make for some great deals there too!

I Have To Apologize....

....for my poor attitude in this post! I really am so excited to share deals that I find and am grateful to others who share their deals too! My biggest goal for this blog is to help others save money through couponing and finding deals as I know what a great blessing that has been to our family. Having said that, if you've ever had high hopes of being able to get a deal and spent time getting coupons and everything in order, loaded up the kids in 110+ degrees and walked in only to find empty shelves you can understand my FRUSTRATION (thanks, Shannon, for understanding!). So, I've been thinking about this and a few things I could have done differently to avoid that.

- Shop early. I shouldn't have waited until the last day of the sale! I had an opportunity earlier in the week to stop by Albies and I put it off. (I did stop by WG's twice before and they were out every time). Also, try to get in on monthly deals early. A month may seem like a long time but goes by way too fast!
- Know what day your store gets their shipment. That way you can get there on the day they have stocked and hopefully find what you are looking for.
- Go to more than one store. If you are in the habit of only shopping at the store closest to your home, work, etc., stop by a different one the next time you are out. You may be surprised at how one store may be completely out of something and another store is well stocked. You may also notice price differences. The WG's by my house and the one by my work had a $1 difference in the price of the wipes!
- Remember that when an item is put on clearance when it's gone, it's gone. If you're unable to find a clearanced item the only thing we can do is be happy for the lucky person that got a good deal (and then go to the next store to try and find some :)
- Plan ahead. You can see the upcoming sales ads at iheartwags, iheartcvs, and iheartriteaid. Also PYP has been getting ad preview for grocery stores (at least in AZ). Use these previews to plan and get your coupons ready.
- If all else fails, ask for a raincheck! (The only exception to this is with WG's and their RR.) I have had good luck at CVS with getting a raincheck and then waiting until a $x/$xx coupon comes out to redeem it and get an even better deal.

Idaho Falls - Get a Free $10 Mall Gift Card!!

If you live in Idaho Falls, ID (yeah for Idaho!) go on over here to claim your free $10 gift card to the Grand Teton Mall!! (Make sure the screen you are seeing is showing the 2nd banner and will say how many gift cards are left and is not the one talking about bringing $75 in receipts to Guest Services). All you have to do is complete the registration form, print the e-mail voucher and take it to the mall Sept 17-19th during mall hours to claim your gift card. Keep in mind they are supposed to check your ID when picking it up.

All the other malls I checked out were out of their gift cards :(

Once Again, Target and FINALLY WG's!

For some reason my husband just LOVES going to Target! I know it's a cool store and great deals and all (not that he's looking for free items or anything, but he just loves it!) Anyway, so yesterday we went over there just to look around I ended up getting some more q deals, and some things I wouldn't normally buy because he was with me!

12 Skittles @ $.52 - (12) $1 Target q (I got overage on each one of these)
4 J&J Safety q-tips @ $1.29 - (4) $1 Target q
1 J&J Baby wash @ $2.19 - $1 Target q and $1 mq
2 Gerber bottles @ $.99 - (2) $1 Target q
1 baby fingernail clippers @ $1.49
2 muffins @ $1.29
1.12 lb bananas @ .50/lb - $.50 Target q
1 soda @ $1.49
Cream of Wheat @ $3.44 (wasn't prepared to be buying this but DH requested it. He's been better about eating breakfast at home so I don't mind buying it. In the end it saves us a lot!)

Total = $6.82
I was just looking at my receipt thinking my total was high. It looks like he didn't scan my 2 Gerber coupons. I'll be taking in my receipt for that and either returning the bottles or having them give me credit for the coupons. So, actual total is $4.82.

I also had DH drop me off at a WG's near his parent's hoping I'd be lucky and find some Huggie's wipes. I was so excited to see some on the shelves!

WG's:
8 tubs Huggie's Wipes @ $3.29 - (8) $1.50 IP - $16 from Back 2 School booklet
Index cards @ 1.69
Total - $2.26 (all in tax!)

Remaining budget: $5.74 - $4.82 -$2.26 = - $1.34

I went over budget, dang it!

Looking back at my week there area a few things I could have done differently:
- Obviously having DH with me at Target didn't help, but it was fun to spend time together.
- My Albie's trip was a bust and I picked up a few things thinking I would get overage again on the Skittles but the cashier adjusted them. I should have had her take a few items off at that time, but oh well, we'll still use them.
- I know I am going to get a $10 Kellogg's rebate on the Pop Tarts and 2 free movie tickets so that purchase is actually a money maker
- The biggest expense for the week was getting my ink refilled so I could print those fabulous Target q's! I'm looking for a cheaper way to do this. Where do you buy your ink??

Hitting Up Target

I had big plans for Target today, and for the most part it came through for me!

1st transaction:
5 True Delight granola bars @ $2.54 - (5) MQ
Total = $7.89
PLUS, I got a $5 g.c. for buying 5. Figuring in the g.c., these are cheaper here than at Fry's this week.

2nd transaction:
6 Johnson & Johnson child's safety q-tips @ $1.29 - (6) $1 Target q
1 J&J baby lotion @ $2.19 - (1) $1 Target q
2 J&J Detangling spray @ $2.89 - (2) $1 Target q and (2) $1 MQ
2 J&J Baby oil gel @ $2.99 - (2) $1 Target q and (2) $1 MQ
1 J&J Baby powder @ $2.19 - (1) $1 Target q and (1) $1 MQ
6 J&J Buddies bar soap @ $.97 - (6) Target q's (adjusted to $.97)
4 All Small & Mighty travel size detergent @ $.97 - (4) $1 MQ (adjusted to $.97)
10 Skittles @ $.52 - (10) $1 Target q's (adjusted to $.52)
10 Pop Tarts, marked as $1.92 but rang up @ $1.46 - (10) $.75 Target q's and (5) $1/2 MQ**
2 AF Artisan Cibatta bread @ $.99 - (2) $1 Target q (adjusted to $.99)
1.03 lb bananas @ $.50/lb - $.50 Target q
6 Sponge Bob Colgate @ $.52 ea - (6) $1 Target q's (adjusted to $.52)
2 Chef Michael dry dog food @ $4.49 - (2) $1.50 Target q's and (2) $3 MQ***
8 Nexcare bandages @ $.82 ea - (8) $1 IP (adjusted to $.82, this expires 8/31)
6 Candy bars @ $.52 ea - (3) Target B1G1F q and (3) Free candy bar coupons

Total = $5.36!! ($2.38 was tax!)

Remaining budget = $18.99 - $7.89 - $5.36 = $5.74

**I found the Pop Tarts that had the free movie tokens on the back. Unfortunately it looks like the only ones are Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, which are d-i-s-g-u-s-t-i-n-g!!! Oh well, for $10 Kellogg's rebate and 2 free movie vouchers I'll find some one to give them to!
***If you know me you're probably looking at this strange since I don't have a dog. Well, for free I'll get it and sell it at my garage sale!

I felt bad for the people behind me in line as the cashier had to adjust so many q's. They were very nice and patient (and luckily so was my cashier) and amazed at my savings ($84.28!!) I invited them to view the blog, so if you're seeing this, WELCOME!

I know sometimes shopping at Target can be a pain as a lot of cashiers try to interpret their own rules when it comes to coupons. One thing you can do is arm yourself with knowledge about Target's coupon policy. You can even take a copy of the Target coupon policy (see below) with you so you are prepared. Expect your coupons for overage to be adjusted (I would say this happens to me 2/3 times) but also be prepared it they are not adjusted! You could always throw in a pack of gum or something up by the register if you see that you are going to go into the negative. The Target coupons do say one per transaction and I know some cashiers would make you purchase each item in a separate order, but I always ask before I start to avoid the hassle.

Here's the coupon policy: (from Hip2Save)

Thanks for asking us about using coupons at Target. Coupons are a great way to save even more when shopping with us, and it's easy to use them at our stores. Because of the variety of coupons available to our guests, we do have some guidelines for how coupons can be redeemed at Target.

When accepting coupons, we use the following guidelines:

- We accept two kinds of coupons: Target-issued and manufacturer-issued.
- We'll accept one Target coupon and one manufacturer coupon for the same item, unless either coupon prohibits it.
- We can't give cash back if the face value of a coupon is greater than the purchase value of the item; in this case, we're able to adjust the value of the coupon to equal the price of the item.
- We can't accept coupons from other retailers, or coupons for products not carried in our stores.
- All valid coupons should be presented to the cashier while you're checking out.

For questions about using a specific coupon, we encourage you to stop by Guest Service and ask to speak with the Guest Service Team Leader. They'll do their best to help while you're in the store. If you still have questions after speaking with them, please call our Guest Relations team at (800) 440-0680. Either way, we're here to help!

We appreciate the opportunity to share this information with you.

Sincerely,

James
Target Guest Relations
www.target.com

I also saw a sign at the front of the store as I was leaving that said that Target will price match any competitor's current ad! I've seen discussion about this but never anything definite like that. I'm wondering if it's more for electronic items and such or if it applies to grocery items as well. I didn't have time to ask at Guest Services, but I'll be sure to find out more info on this!

Guess What Today Is??

Free Chocolate Friday!! Doesn't free chocolate just make your day?!?

Every Friday you can click on this link to get a coupon for free chocolate mailed to you if you're one of the first 200,000 to sign up. Yeah for free! Even bigger yeah for free chocolate!!

Combine the coupon they send to you with the Target B1G1F coupon (RP 8/2) for 2 free bars of chocolate!!

WG's and Albies

I've been really slow lately in going out and getting the deals. Maybe part of it is that it is SO DANG HOT so that I don't want to drag the kiddos out or that it seems whenever I do make a trip out lately everything is gone!

Albies:
Went in for the Huggies wipes deal (guess I should have stocked up before I posted the deal on PYP) - shelves completely cleared! I did manage to get a raincheck for 2 tubs. I also looked at getting their chicken that was $1.57/lb and it really did not look good. There was still a lot of fat and skin on it so I opted to wait until Fry's has another Tyson chicken sale. I was also going to redeem some of my rainchecks from last week but, to my luck, the shelves were empty! Here's what I did manage to get
3 onions @ $.50
1 bunch green onions @ 3 lb/ $1
bananas @ $.59/lb - $.50/lb Target q
6 Skittles @ $.50 ea - (6) $1 Target q's adjusted down to $.50
Total= $2.47

WG's:
As you can probably guess, there were no Huggies wipes, no Zyrtec clearance, etc. I did need to get my color ink cartridge filled. Last time it failed the print test so I didn't have to pay for it, but what was in there only lasted me a couple weeks. I decided to try it again and walah! It worked!
1 color ink cartridge refill = $12.99
Total = $14
I honestly wasn't thinking it would work but I figured while I was in there I would drop it off. I didn't have the $5 off $25 purchase coupon with me so I may go back tomorrow and try to return it then buy it with other items to use the q.

Remaining budget for the week: $35.42 - $2.43 - $14 = $18.99 for the rest of the week.

Bath & Body Works Coupon!

I love it when BBW comes out with coupons. Print this off and take it with you for a FREE travel size signature item with any purchase, valid through 9/8. If you can find the new P.S. I love you scent it is on sale for $1! These make great stocking stuffers or gifts!

Plus, if you plan on spending $15 or more you can use this coupon for a free signature home or body item.

Flip Flop Deal!

I don't usually post a lot of online deals since there are SO MANY! But, I came across this and these are really cute flip flops for only $9.99! Use the code AUG25 and the pin 2412 to get free shipping. Go here to see all their woman's clearance foot wear!
Plus, speaking of shoes, Crocs.com has their 'sometimes ridiculously ugly yet oh so comfortable' shoes on sale B1G1F, PLUS use code slx8797 for an additional 25% off, and to top that.... FREE SHIPPING!! I saw some kid's shoes as low as $14.99. Hurry though, these usually go fast!

(Thanks, Slickdeals!)

Remember this post about Restaurant.com? Well, they have another coupon code out for 80% off. Use the code TASTE at check out to receive your $25 gift certificates for only $2!! Looking for a new place to try this weekend? Check this out first! As always, be sure to read any restrictions the gift certificate may have.

WG's

I stopped by WG's real quick today to see if they had any of the Zyrtec that is on clearance (the Hive's variety is on clearance for $3.29, plus there is a $3 IP and wyb 2 get $5 RR). Of course they didn't so I picked up some poster board for an upcoming garage sale

4 poster boards @ $1.29 ea
- in ad coupon 4/$1
Total = $1.08

Remaining budget for the week: $36.50 - $35.42 for the rest of the week.

Tomorrow I plan on going to Albies to get the Huggie's wipes deal before the sale ends and use my raincheck on fruit snacks to roll with their catalina deal:
buy 3 get $1.50 off
buy 4 get $2.50 off
buy 5 get $3.50 off
purchase dates 8/14 - 9/6

(Thanks, PYP!)

Also, as a side note, I've been reading scenarios for the WG's $5/$25 q and it looks like YMMV as to whether or not they enforce that the $25 has to be AFTER all other coupons. Good luck! Let me know how you did!

Walgreen's $5/$25 coupon good through 8/29

Just received an email from WG's, they have a new coupon out starting tomorrow 8/26-8/29 for $5 off a $25 purchase. Unfortunately it does state that the $25 purchase has to be after any other coupons or discounts. Hip2Save has a great deal scenario, especially if you are just starting to do the "Walgreen's thing". I'm still deciding what I am going to do since I don't have any RR right now to bring down my initial OOP and I don't like the fact that the RR expire in 2 weeks so I have to use them pretty fast. (Don't forget that if you received a RR from a promotion and use it to purchase items for that same promotion the new RR will not print). Albertson's will take them but will only take 1 per person (YMMV). I might use it to get my ink cartridges refilled though since I don't normally have a coupon for that.

Let me know what deals you come up with using this coupon!!

Safeway Transfer Prescription Coupon!

My wonderful sister just called and let me know that in tomorrow's Safeway ad there is a coupon for a $30 gift card with a transferred prescription!! The other great thing is that it doesn't expire until 9/30! Don't forget that Fry's and CVS also accept this coupon, so we've got time to earn some gift cards!!

Sweet Pop Tart Deal!

I noticed as I was cutting out my UPC's from my Pop Tart deal for the Kellogg's Fuel for School rebate (register on the bottom right to view form, another rebate form found in the RP 8/2, or check your stores for a Fuel for School booklet) and noticed that a couple of the boxes had tokens for Free Movie Tickets! Just send in 5 ticket tokens from specially marked packages of Pop Tarts and the form found inside the box for a free movie ticket. It says it's for the Star Wars movie but if you read it the ticket can be used on any move. Limit 5 tickets per address. FYI- The only ones I found were on the Cookie Dough variety (gross, by the way, but way worth the free tickets!)

So, combine your Target q's with the mq's from RP 8/2, the Kellogg's rebate and free movie tickets and you've got ONE SWEET DEAL!!

Speaking of sweet Target deals, check out these posts here here, and here. (Thanks, Hip2Save)

The word of the day....

...is OVERAGE!! Got to love those Target deals! (Does this picture look familiar?)

10 GM cereal cups @ $1 - (10) $1 Target q's = FREE
10 Skittles @ $.52 ea - (10) $1 Target q's = $4.80 OVERAGE
6 Sponge Bob Colgate toothpaste @ $.52 ea - (6) $1 Target q's = $4.80 OVERAGE
5 Nexcare bandages @ $.97 ea - $1 IP = $.15 OVERAGE
1 box crayons @ $.20
2 peach cups @ 2/$3
3 coupon organizers (see upcoming post on ORGANIZING!)
5 toys from the dollar spot (for gifts)

Total = $3.50
The nice lady at customer service offered to ring me up after I made a return. She all the coupons through, so of course YMMV on the overage. This only seems to happen for me about half of the time, but you definitely need to be prepared if you do get overage.

Beginning balance = $40 - $3.50 = $36.50 for the rest of the week!

Target Again and Albies

I dragged the kiddo's to Target again to get more free cereal and Skittles and to Albies to redeem my raincheck for free milk. It's always a YMMV if the cashier is going to give overage on coupons like the Skittles, so I was prepared with some deli meat just in case she did. UNFORTUNATELY, she did not, but I still got some yummy meat that I know we will use.

Target:
10 Skittles @ $.52 ea - (10) $1 Target q's, adjusted = FREE
10 GM cereal cups @ $1 - (10) $1 Target q's = FREE
4 Nexcare bandages (in travel section) @ $.97 ea - $1 IP (adjusted) (these expire 8/31)
Buffalo chicken deli meat = $5.24
Total = $6.23


Albies (sorry, no pic):
6 Fiber One yogurt, rainchecked to $1.50 - (6) $1 mq
8 Yopliat Go-gurt, rainchecked to $1.49 - (4) $.80/2 IP (cheaper than buying them at Costco for $7.79/32)
1 tomato @ $.88/lb = $.54
3 tubs Huggie's wipes @ $2.50 ea - (2) $1.50 IP and (1) $.50 mq = $2 OVERAGE (If you have not printed your Huggie's diaper product $1.50 q I would suggest printing it before it's gone)
2 gal milk @ 1.99 - raincheck for FREE milk wyb 3 Fiber One yogurt = FREE
3 Albertson's brand cheese @ $.97
3 Skittles @ $.50 - $1 Target Q = $1.50 OVERAGE
Total = $15.68

I think I went over my $40 budget this week though! Remaining: $9.01 - $6.23 - $15.68 = -$12.9!! That is okay though because I returned some things to Target that I bought previously that returned $22.xx to my debit card.

If you would like to hit up Target's deals for this week, check out this post for deals and coupon match ups. There are quite a few good deals with the Target q's alone! Happy Shopping!

Kroger/Fry's deal on diapers, diaper survey, & Fry's Mega Sale

Go on over here to print a q for $3 off Comforts brand diapers, found at Kroger/Fry's. These are regular price $6.99, so only $3.99 after q. I personally did not like these the best, but when you're in a pinch a diaper is a diaper!

Speaking of diapers, I have received my box of diapers for the Diaper Survey. What an easy way to get free diapers and $10!! I'm on the second package (they send you 3 packs of 23) and while I would not have purchased the diapers for a baby in size 1, they work fine! The next package I get to use is Pampers. I just fill out the quick questionnaire, have 2 phone calls where you read off your answers from the questionnaire and then they send you $10. Easy!

Also, don't forget to check out the Fry's Mega Sale (in Arizona) at PYP. There are a lot of items that are cheap with coupons and there's no limit to the number of awards you can receive!

Yeah for Target!!

Ran to Target today and was so glad I did! I'll probably make another run tomorrow since some of the Target q's expire 8/22.

Glade candle - clearanced to $2.74 - Free mq = FREE
5 Skittles @ $.52 - (5) $1 Target q's = $.48 overage on each!
Renuzit Air Freshener Spray @ 1.94 - $1 Target q - $1 mq = $.06 overage!
10 Poptarts @ $1.46 (shelf price said $1.52) - (10) $.75 Target q's - (10) $1/2 mq = $.21 each
3 Archer Farms Artisan Bread @ $.99 - $1 Target q = FREE
5 General Mills Cereal cups @ $1 - (5) $1 Target q's = FREE
5.15 lb gala apples @ $1.49/lb - (3) $1/1 lb apples Target q (I should have paid better attention to the weight of the apples as I only had 3 coupons!)
Total = $6.79!!

PLUS I will submit for the Kellogg's $10 rebate when you buy 10 items (see RP 8/2). There are supposedly more than one of these forms out there and you can submit for more than one just make sure the forms you are sending go to different PO Boxes.

Guess what the trick-or-treaters will be getting this year? Skittles and Pop Tarts! Oh the parents are going to love me!?!

Remaining Budget = $15.80 - $6.79 = $9.01 for the rest of the week!

Learning the ropes!

I got this email from one of my friends, just wanted to share it! I used to feel the same way about WG's and CVS until I really started learning the ropes of getting great deals there. Now I they are 2 of my favorite stores for coupon shopping! I didn't learn in one trip though, so just keep going bit by bit and you'll be a pro before long! As always, feel free to ask any questions!

Love the blog, I do have to say its kind of addicting, I have told everyone about it. I used to hate walgreens and CVS thinking that everything was so over priced. I was very nervous to try it out, but went for the first time today and did good. The only thing I need to do better is the whole 1st transaction and then the 2nd, so that way I dont end up with a bunch of RR just chillin in my wallet. I am learning a lot keep it coming....

Great WG's deal!

Starting tomorrow, 8/19 - 8/22 WG's will have a special 4 day ad and basically you will receive a $5 RR for spending $25 on practically everything (except gift cards, stamps). Also, it's $25 BEFORE coupons!

This would be a great time to combine this with the current RR deals so you can start rolling them.

Hip2Save has posted some deal scenarios to go with this.

Looks like WG's Photo is also running some specials this week, including Free photo clings on 8/19, 20 free 4x6 prints on 8/20, 8x10 scrapbook page for only $.99 on 8/21, and 50% off photo books on 8/22. Time to work on those photo projects!!

Safeway and Albies

I just glanced at the ads before we left last week and didn't realize the deals Albies was having! This afternoon as I was getting ready to go I checked over at Pinching Your Pennies and saw the awesome BTFE deals so I gathered my coupons and the kids and headed over there. Of course they were out of most things, but that's okay! I've got rain checks now. Who knows, maybe they'll double coupons in the next month which would be SWEET! (I apologize for not being good at taking pictures, I was in a hurry to get things put away tonight!)

Safeway:
4- 1 pt blueberries @ $.99
Total = $3.98, used gift card so $0 OOP

I picked up some pamphlets at the checkout that say "Help Abbey Beat Muscular Dystrophy". There are a lot of great coupons in here, although most of them do say 'Do Not Double' and start with a '9' so they won't double. Still is a great way to build up your coupons. There is also a q for FREE any Freshpet Product 1 lb or smaller. I don't have a pet, but these are good to use to donate or even build up your order to use a $x/$xx coupon.

Albies:
6 boxes Hamburger Helper @ $.79 - (2) $.75/3 mq
1 gal milk @ $1.99
1/2 gal chocolate milk @ $2.69 - Free choc milk wyb 1 gal white milk IP (q automatically takes off $3.75, so $1.06 overage on this)
3.12 lb of bananas @ $.59/lb - (2) $.50/lb Target q
Lettuce @ $1.29
3.29 lb gala apples @ $1.69/lb - (3) $1/lb Target q
1 green bell pepper @ 2/$1
Deli sliced chicken (This is a treat for DH to motivate him to take his lunch to work!) $10.96
Huggies wipes (72 ct) $2.50 - $2 WG's q found in their Back 2 School coupon book (these are on sale through 8/23. Not a bad deal for a tub of wipes!!)
- $5 catalina
- $.15 bag credit (I didn't know Albies did this!)
Total = $16.09

Costco:
2 pack Alpine Valley bread
Total = $8.11 (I have got to take the time to make my own bread!!)

Budget for the week: $40 (I know I had overage from last week but we spent money on our trip for food so I'm going to just start over and not roll any overage) - $16.09 - $8.11 = $15.80 for the rest of the week.

Catching Up!!

Wow! Looks like there was a lot of deal action while I was gone for my sister's wedding! I'm glad to be home and getting back into the swing of things! While I was in Idaho though I was able to go to Albie's and get in on the Kraft promotion. I would have definitely bought different things if I lived there, but I bought things that would travel well that we would use anyway. Spent $20.64, got back a $5 catalina and a rebate form to submit for $20 rebate. Remember this goes through 8/23 and is limit 1 per household.

WG's, CVS, Fry's

Sorry my posting has been a little slow, I'm trying to get ready to leave tomorrow for my sister's wedding so I most likely won't be posting while I'm gone. I did get to hit up a couple of this week's sales though.

WG's

4 Easy Mac cups @ $1 - $1/4 q from Back 2 School book* and (2) $1/2 IP
4 BIC pens @ 2/$1 - (2) $1/2 mq (These were donated)
Total = $1.17

*The IP's beeped when the cashier scanned them. I later looked at my receipt and saw that the $1/4 Back 2 School coupon rang up as a manufacture coupon. This means they should not be used with other manufacture coupons. It was assumed that this was a store coupon since it didn't say manufacture coupon and also because this book is exclusive to WG's. Having said that, the fact that this is a manufacture coupon means it could be used at other stores, however YMMV. There is a high value $2 Huggies wipes 64+ ct. coupon on it.

CVS

1st order:
2 Huggies diapers @ $9 ea
2 Protractors, raincheck item to $1.50 (These were donated)
2 Flex rulers, raincheck item to $.99
4 candy bars @ 2/$1 (needed for fillers)
- $4/$20 from pharmacy for asking about ReadyFill
- (2) $3 Huggie's coupons
- $1/2 candy bar mq
- $14 EB
Total $.45
+ I received $4 EB for Huggies and $5 EB for school supplies

2nd order
1 Contour glucose monitor @ $14.99
1 Revlon mineral makeup @ $9.99
2 Huggie's diapers @ $9 ea
- $4/$20
- $2 Revlon
- $30 Contour*
- $5 EB
Total: $4.47
+ I received $5 for Contour and $9.99 for Revlon

* My CVS card was on the counter from the previous order. The cashier must not have scanned it until after ringing up my purchases because if that is done the discounts aren't taken off each individual item but rather in a lump sum at the end. So then when he scanned my Contour q for up to $30 off it took the whole $30 off instead of having him adjust the discount to the $14.99 sale price of the item. This put my total at -$14.xx. I kind of had to think fast and the other 2 packages of diapers were sitting there so I had him scan 2 of them to bring me back to a positive total and then I ran back and got a couple more packs. I'm not complaining, I can always use more diapers! I didn't think though about the other $1.50 Huggies coupons I had with me which would have brought my total to $1.xx!! Oh well! Maybe if I have time I'll take them in.

Fry's
Went in today for the last day of the chicken sale
6 packages BLSL chicken @ $1.67
4 cans tuna @ 2/$1
1 carton eggs @ $.89
- $3/$15 meat purchase I got in a pack of Fry's coupons that was mailed to me
- $5 catalina from the crazy cereal deal
Total: $12.67

My new budget for this week is $40 + $5.68 rollover from last week starts me at $45.68 - $1.17 - $.45 - $4.47 - $12.67= $26.92

Free Scrubbing Bubbles!

Go on over here and sign up to receive Scrubbing Bubbles bulletins. They will send you a FREE shower caddy!

I have had these in the past and it is nice to help keep the shower clean in between cleaning it. The refills can get expensive though so I just filled mine up with some bathroom cleaner I had at home!

Free food this week!

Remember this? It's back! This Tuesday August 11th there will be free tacos at Jack in the Box again! Print your coupon here, no purchase necessary!

Then on Wednesday don't forget Arby's for their free Chicken Roastburger with the purchase of any drink, no coupon needed!

Yeah for free food!

Cheap kids patio table!

Walmart has this cute little patio table set with umbrella and 2 chairs for $20!! They have Handy Manny, Tinkerbell, Cars, Barbie, and Princess.

Weekly deals

Here are the deals for the week. I'm just going to link to sites that have posted the deals already since I'll be super busy this week getting ready to leave Wednesday. If there's a store you would like to see on here, let me know!

CVS - click here. I also posted about deals here. Don't forget to use the $5/$25 coupon.

WG's - click here and look for the Back 2 School coupon book, preview here plus more deals here

Rite Aid- click here and another deal here

Staples - click here. Be sure to use the in ad $5/$50 coupon AND 10% off coupon for even better deals!

Target - click here

Have a great week!!

What a Waste!!

I read in a magazine a little while ago that the "average" family throws away $75 worth of food a month. Seriously?!?! If you look at it from the standpoint of my $40 Monthly Challenge that's equivalent to nearly 2 weeks worth of food for our family. I have been thinking about this since I read it and have been brainstorming ideas to avoid becoming an "average" family. Here's what I've come up with:

- Designate an area in your fridge for leftovers. That way you know where they are and that leftover meatloaf doesn't get stuck in the back to mold.

- Only dish up what you think you can eat. This can be especially hard with children as they are completely bipolar in their eating. You can always dish up more for them if they happen to finish what they have.

- In our home we love leftovers (because that means mom doesn't have to cook all the time!) We always make extra and take the leftovers for lunch the next day.

- Designate one day of the week (maybe choose your busiest day) as "Leftover Day". Use that day to finish off the leftovers in your fridge.

- Portion out your servings. When I buy packs of fresh chicken I trim it and place 3-4 of the boneless breasts in a Ziploc bag. That way when I need chicken I already have the amount that I generally need for dinner plus the leftovers for lunch.

- Only buy what you can eat. It doesn't save you any money to buy an extra gallon of milk because it's on sale if it's just going to go bad before you can drink it. Comprende?

- Be aware of your fresh fruits/vegetables. Keep in mind that some things spoil much quicker than others. I learned this the first time I bought raspberries and blackberries. I was used to being able to keep my fruit in the fridge for a couple days but by the time I got around to washing and freezing these I ended up throwing them all away.

- Learn little tricks that help to keep you from throwing things away. Did you know that limp celery can be revived by placing the ends in some water? Same with cucumbers. Leftover rice can also be brought back to life by adding a LITTLE water and microwaving with the lid on.

- Become a professional "goolash chef". In our family, that would be my husband. He does an awesome job of looking at what we have that needs to be eaten and coming up with a delicious meal. It's actually kind of fun to see what you can come up with!

- Consider buying a Food Saver. You can take leftovers or any food and put it in either a container or bag and vacuum and seal it. This helps to prevent it from going bad before you use
it.

- Keep a freezer journal and record what is in your freezer. I personally don't do this but I thought it would be a good idea to start one. That way you know exactly what you have, which is especially hard to do with a big chest freezer!

What things do you do in your family to avoid becoming "average"?

New code, 80% off at Restaurant.com

Restaurant.com has another great code to give you 80% off their gift certificates. This makes a $25 gift card $2!! Seems like this month the 80% off code came out early, but no complaints here!

If you're new to Restaurant.com, go over here and read about it. Just enter the code PORTION at check out to receive the discount (maybe next month the code will be 'control' :)

Michael's coupon

I found a 50% off any regular price item for Michael's over here. I have been making necklaces for my sis's wedding and really wanted to get them done as cheaply as possible! I'm not sure if they'll have an ad this week so if they don't here's coupon for ya. Expires 8/14.

Cheap/Free snacks at CVS!

My favorite store has done it once again! Go on over here and you can print coupons from the CVS website. The first coupon that shows up for me is $1 off Frito Lay, including Smartfood. I know the other day I was in there I saw a (small) bag of Smartfood snacks for $.88. I'm not sure how big it was though and the coupon is good for 5 oz or larger. Hopefully we can get cheap/free snacks with it!

Don't forget to hit the back button on your browser to print it again.

CVS & Kohl's

I ran to CVS this morning to finish up getting rainchecks for the week. I LOVE CVS rainchecks because they don't expire and I can wait until I have a good $/$$ coupon or some EB that need to be rolled. I picked up one for the Blink eye drops and the Electrasol and got a few other things. I also asked about my $3 Pampers coupons from my purchases this week. They were much nicer than the ornery cashier the other day and gave me $6 for them which I added to my $2.75 budget.

1 Ragu @ $2 (to finish up what I needed to get the $3 EB for buying $10 in Unilever products)
1 White cheddar popcorn @ $1 (have you tried it? It's delicious!)
2 Gold Emblem candies (stocking up for our upcoming road trip) @ $.99 ea
2 4-pack CVS brand AA batteries (BIGIF)
- $3.79 CRT for free batteries
- $3.79 BIGIF batteries weekly sale
- $1/2 Gold Emblem candy CRT
- $1 EB
Total = $3.07
+ I earned $3 EB for the Ragu

Remaining budget: $2.75 + $6 - $3.07 = $5.68 for the rest of the week which if unused I will roll over to next week.

Then I went over to Kohl's. There were some pants I saw last week that I wanted but didn't get. Armed with my $10/$20 peelie and 15% off email I found them and they were $4 cheaper than last week! I asked the cashier and she said if I brought my receipt in from last week they would give me the difference. Hmm... hopefully I'll be back in that area today! This also goes to show why you should keep your receipts.

1 pair of pants @ $19.99
1 shirt @ $4.99 (this was mainly to bring my total to $20 since I don't think Kohl's has many cheap fillers)
= $24.98
- $10
- 15% coupon
Total = $13.47

I was figuring it out too if I wanted to go back and get a few more shirts. I could get 5 shirts @ $4.99 for the same price! That's less than $3 a shirt!

$5/$25 CVS coupon and 8/9 CVS deals

If you've been thinking about giving CVS a try, now is a great time! Go on over here and take the short health quiz. You will then be able to print the coupon. Mine is good until 8/22 and you can print it multiple times but it will alert the cashier that it has already been used. You may use a different computer though to take the quiz and print another. Be sure to hand it first to the cashier.

Here are the best deals for the week:

Contour Meter $14.99 get $5 eb Limit 1
-$14.99 Bayer Breeze2 or Contour Meter, up to $30 SS 3/22/09

M&M Mars singles 2/$1
-$1 off 2 Snickers, Twix, 3 Musketeers or Milky Way Brand Singles Bars(2.0 -2.13 oz), any RP 7/26/09
also qualifies towards candy get $5 eb WYB $15 Limit 5

Revlon Colorstay Mineral Mousse $9.99 get $9.99 eb
-$1 Revlon Color Cosmetic Product, any SS 7/19/09

Sharpie Accent Highlighters 4 pk $.99
-$1 Sharpie accent highlighters

Even if you didn't have any EB or coupons from the paper you could start your CVS trippin' with this coupon:
1 Contour - $14.99
1 Revlon - $9.99
1 Sharpie highlighter - $.99
Total = $25.97
- $5/$25
- $1 Sharpie IP
Pay $19.98 and get $5 EB and $9.99 EB

This isn't GREAT, but if you're looking to get into it this week it is a start. If you had a Contour coupon you would only pay $4.98 and get the same EB.

If your coupon doesn't expire until 8/22 like mine then you could wait until next week when there are more school supplies free after EB.

• Caliber Recycled School box $1.99 get $1.99 eb Limit 2 3 Day Sale


• CVS brand or Caliber Filler paper 150 sheets $.99 get $.99 eb Limit 2 3 Day Sale


• CVS brand or Caliber mini composition notebook $1.99 get $1.99 eb Limit 2 3 Day Sale


• Paper Mate Pens $.99 get $.99 eb Limit 2 3 Day Sale


• Philips Earhook Headphones $6.99 get $6.99 eb Limit 1 3 Day Sale

Also, don't forget to ask the pharmacist about the ReadyFill program and they will give you a $25 coupon booklet with 2 coupons for $4/$20 purchase plus others! (They are advertising all over that you get the coupons just for ASKING, although I've had 2 pharmacists tell me you had to sign up for the program to get it. You can gently remind them that it says you only have to ASK!)

Using this coupon you could get everything that is FAEB, plus throw in a filler that is at least $1.09, use the $4/$20, pay $16 and get back $18.91 in EB.

From iheartcvs

Cheap Oil Change

Goodyear Auto Service has a coupon here for $20 off $20 purchase good through 8/21/09. Valid at participating centers, so I would be sure to call yours and make sure they will accept it. This should make for a cheap oil change as they start about $25.99!

Go here to find a store near you.

Got milk? Free cereal at Fry's

I'm so happy right now since we were starting to run a little low on cereal (read: we only had about 20 boxes).

Remember the Honey Bunches of Oats catalina deal I talked about here? Well, I saw that Fry's had their HBOO cereal on sale $1.88 and so I went this morning to see if it would work. Well, as you can see, it did! Here's the details on the catalina:
Honey Bunches of Oats cereal
Purchase between 7/17 - 8/9
Buy 3, Get $2 OYNSO
Buy 4, Get $3
Buy 5 or more, Get $5
1st order:
5 boxes cereal
Grapes @ $.77/lb
Onions @ $1/lb
- (5) $1 cereal mq
Total = $8.22, paid for with g.c. from the Amp deal = $0 OOP
+ I got a catalina for $5 ONYSO

2nd order:
5 boxes cereal
Tyson chicken @ $1.67/lb
- (5) $1 cereal mq
- $1 Tyson chicken mq
- $5 catalina from previous order
Total = $2.08- $1.78 remaining on g.c. = $.30 OOP

3rd order:
5 boxes cereal
Tyson chicken @ $1.67/lb
- (5) $1 cereal mq
- $1 Tyson chicken mq
- $5 catalina from previous order
- $.15 BYOB (Bring your own bag, they give you $.05/bag)
Total = $1.62 OOP

4th order:
5 boxes cereal
Tyson chicken @ $1.67/lb
- (5) $1 cereal mq
- $5 catalina from previous order
- $.15 BYOB
Total = $1 OOP

5th order:
5 boxes cereal
Tyson chicken @ $1.67/lb
- (5) $1 cereal mq
- $5 catalina from previous order
- $.15 BYOB
Total = $2.45 OOP
+ I still have a $5 catalina that I plan on using next week when my budget resets to get more chicken. I will combine that with a $3/$15 meat purchase coupon I received in the mail today so I can restock our chicken.

Remaining budget = $8.12 - $.30 - $1.62 - $1 - $2.45 = $2.75! I think I'm done for the week but I'm so glad to have succeded in my first week.

Now what am I going to do with all that cereal? Here's where couponing and food storage mesh together. The cereal doesn't expire for 1 year, so basically we have all year to eat, share, donate, or even dry pack can the cereal. When you are able to get things on sale and can stockpile you are building your food storage so when things come up financially or you just aren't able to make it to the store that day or week you still have something to eat!

I have a friend who is major into food storage. She tells people to take $10 a week and buy things that you can put in your food storage so if you need a meal you have one. Spaghetti, canned soup, cereal (you can eat it dry if you have to), canned chicken, etc. are all things that you can buy little by little to put into your food storage. Now throw couponing into the mix and you should have that extra $10 to spend on food storage items so you're not spending any more money than you were before, but you're building your food storage.

Free Chocolate Friday!

Every Friday you can click on this link to get a coupon for free chocolate mailed to you if you're one of the first 200,000 to sign up. Yeah for free! Even bigger yeah for free chocolate!!

Combine the coupon they send to you with the Target B1G1F coupon (RP 8/2) for 2 free bars of chocolate!!

WG's & CVS

I returned to WG's to pick up my ink and they were still stocked with Ragu and Skippy so I decided to pick up some more. The color ink cartridge failed, meaning they couldn't sell it to me. When this happens these usually still work for a while so I basically got a free refill. The bad news is that they changed the price on the ink refills for $12.99 for either black or color. Black used to be $10. Sorry, no pics for right now. I'll try to get them up later.

1st order:
4 Ragu @ $2 ea
4 Skippy PB @ $2 ea
- (3) $5 RR (these were from a while ago when it didn't print at the register. I called and they mailed them to me)
Total = $1
+ I received a $10 RR for buying 8 Unilever items

2nd order:
1 black ink refill @ $12.99 (ugh! I'm going to have to check but I think I can buy a new one at Target for about this price!)
- $10 RR from previous purchase
Total = $4.07

CVS

1st order:
1 Contour glucose monitor, raincheck priced to $19.99 - $19.99 mq
1 pkg Pampers @ $10. Would have had a $3 mq for this but it wouldn't scan and the grouchy cashier would not manually enter it! I hate it when they are stingy! I may take it back with my receipt and try to get them to take it.
1 Skippy PB @ $2
2 Chocolate eggs @ $.50 ea (thanks to the 2 yr old that tried to bite into both of them!)
- $4/$20 (coupon given for asking about the Readyfill program at the pharmacy. The pharmacist told me that I had to sign up for the program even though there was a sign right in front of me advertising the coupon book when you ASK about the program. When I pointed that out he gave me one)
- $5 EB
Total = $4.87
+ I earned $5 EB for the Contour (Raincheck from last month) and $3 for the Skippy (I bought the other $8 in items earlier) and a CRT for free Absolute Divine chocolate bar!

2nd order:
1 Contour glucose monitor machine, raincheck priced to $19.99 - $19.99 mq
1 Pampers diapers @ $10 (I didn't even try to use this coupon!)
1 Vapomist plug in clearanced to $2.20 (I used these a lot on DD when she would get sick)
1 Snicker's bar $.22 (the little stinker bit into this one too!)
- $4/$20
- $5 EB
Total = $4.09
+ I earned another $5 EB for the Contour and $5 EB for buying 2 Pampers

Not getting the Pampers coupons really hurt my budget here!

Remaining budget for the week: $18.08 - $1 - $4.87 - $4.09 = $8.12 (For right now I'm not including the ink in this budget as it technically is not groceries or h/b items)

Success!

I always love hearing how people are saving money, especially when I've been able to help out in that process! One of my readers (there I go, sounding like I'm all big time! I make myself laugh!) emailed me her success story:

I thought I would share my success since I owe most of it to you! Yesterday I went to Smiths and my total was about 70 dollars and after all my coupons I only paid 34! And i was getting high priced things like bee killer, makeup, shampoos, etc. I was really excited. It was double coupon day at Smiths(i found that out from PYP website). Thanks for doing your new blog! I have fun reading it and I am SLOWLY learning the tricks of the trades.

YEAH!! I love hearing that! Thanks for sharing! Feel free to write about your own success stories!

Don't forget to check out the grocery deals in your state on PYP

Going to IKEA this weekend? Kid's eat free through 8/16!

Feel like beating the heat to go to IKEA? Well, here's something else to motivate you! Kid's 12 and under can choose from three meals for FREE! Read more about it here.

Look out for another Kohl's coupon!

Word is that tomorrow's paper will have another Kohl's $10/$20 peelie on it! I'm starting to really like this place! Did you get one in your area last week? (see last week's post here) I'm just curious how wide spread this is since it was valid in several states.

Also, sweeten the deal with a 15% off coupon emailed to you once you sign up for sales reminders. It says that it can't be used with any other percent-off coupons, which the peelie is not so you should be able to use both. As I said before though, I haven't had any experience with this but I may just have to try it out!

**UPDATE**
You CAN use the 15% off q with the peelie!! Here's the link

Buca di Beppo coupon expires 8/9

Don't forget this great Buca di Beppo $10/$20 purchase coupon, it expires 8/9! It's good even on curbside pick up so you don't have to fight the crowd.

Cheap Entertainment!

Have you ever used an Entertainment book? They are wonderful, and now you can get them for CHEAP! Go over here and get 2 of the 2009 editions for only $10! These usually retail for $30 each!! Plus, shipping is only $1.98 for both books but you do have to buy 2 to get this discount. BUT, even if you only use it once you can pretty much got your money's worth! This is a great way to try new restaurants using B1G1F coupons. Click on the link to view the restaurants that are listed in each book.

Hurry! Offer good while supplies last! If I remember right they coupons expire the end of November.

In the Mood for Micky-D's or Arby's?

I never thought I'd be posting a deal from McDonald's, but here goes.

Buy a Angus Third Pounder and get a free medium drink and fries. Not a bad deal!

(Thanks, Hip2Save)
*************
Don't forget too that tomorrow only Arby's will be giving a way a free Regular Roast beef with any drink purchase. No coupon needed to get this deal.

Each Wednesday through August you can get yourself something free. Here are the upcoming offers:

August 12th
Free Roast Chicken Club with soft drink purchase

August 19th
Free FruiTea with sandwich purchase

August 26th
Free Roast Beef 'n Cheddar with soft drink purchase

Kohl's Clearance

Looks like Kohl's clearance is getting even better. Now you can go here and get kid's clothes starting at $2. Plus if you're a Kohl's charge card customer you can take 15% off with code KOHLSMVC15 and free shipping with MVC1617.

(Thanks, Slickdeals)


Plus, go through Cashbaq and get 3% back on your purchase! Also, if you haven't signed up to receive emails form Kohl's, now is a great time! Sign up to receive e-mail alerts and they will email you a $5 off coupon plus 10% off for your next visit!

Safeway & CVS

We to CVS this morning trying to get in on the deals for the week. As can be expected, everything I wanted to buy was gone. Oh well, got rainchecks and will go back once I get a $4/$20 q. Met Kelsie there to show her the ropes a little. She's going to do great! :)

I did try to get the Vitamin water MM again but it didn't go so well this time. The $3 EB didn't print. When I pointed it out to the cashier that my receipt says "Buy Vitamin water, get $3 EB" she was confused and called the manager who called the 1-888-SHOP-CVS line and was told it was supposed to print $3 EB when you buy a 12 pack. This is definitely a YMMV though as there have been a lot of posters talking about getting this still.

1st transaction:
1 Vitamin water @ $1.25
2 Ragu sauce @ 2/$4 (go toward the Buy $10 get $3 EB)
- $5 EB
Total = $.25

2nd transaction
1 Vitamin water @ $1.25
Shredded wheat clearanced @ $.47
1 caramel @ $.33 (filler item)
- $2 EB
Total = $.05

The cashier ran my 2nd order through while the manager was on the phone. I may return the Vitamin water since I really don't need it and didn't do a good job of rolling my EB with this one!


Safeway:
Safeway brand Diet Sprite (we like this for marinades) @ $.37 with in ad coupon
Quaker granola bars @ $.99 with in ad coupon
2 cans pineapple @ $.77
2.24 lb bananas @ $.59/lb
3 Honey Bunches of Oats @ $.199 - (1) $2 IP from here (look on the bottom right, only lets you print one) and (2) $1 mq from SS 7/26
7.92 lb Bottom round roast @ $1.77/lb = $14.03
- $1 catalina
- $2 catalina
- $14.28 gift card from months ago when I transferred my prescription there
Total = $7.53 EXCEPT I noticed when I got home that they must have scanned one of my roast twice because it shows that I got 4 packages. I will take my receipt in to get my $3.91, so actual Total = $3.62, Plus I got a $2 catalina for buying 3 Honey Bunches. I also got a raincheck as they were out of the almond kind and will buy 5 @ 1.99 - (5) $1 mq = $4.95 and get back a $5 catalina!

Rollover budget $22 - $.25- $.05- $3.62 = $18.08

New Coupons at Smart Source

Smart Source has some new coupons out - a lot of cereal, Betty Crocker, and Pillsbury. It is a good idea to print these for future sales. Link here.

Don't forget your free tacos!

Print out this coupon to receive 2 free tacos from Jack in the Box this Tuesday, 8/4! Yeah for free food!

WG's and CVS

Day 1 of my challenge and I'm already starting to feel a little nervous only because I really want to stock up on roast at Safeway for $1.77/lb and chicken will be on sale for $1.67/lb starting Wed. I need to replenish my stockpile as much as I can with these deals.

I stopped in at WG's before work today since I was a little early. I was excited to see that they had their photo stamps clearanced out to $7.59 from $30! I have read that these are on clearance but the only other one's I saw were still $14.99. That's cheaper than buying them at the Post Office, and you get to have any photo you choose put on them with free shipping. I also took advantage of the Unilever RR deal.
1st transaction:
8- Ragu pasta sauce @$2 = $16 - (4) $1/2 q from here (keep hitting the back button fo unlimited prints!) or use Ragu Pasta Sauce, any $1/2 (9-27-09) RP-8/2
Total = $12 Plus I earned a $10 RR for buying 8 items.

2nd transaction:
2 - Photo stamp kits @ $7.59
- $10 RR
Total = $5.52

Don't know what a RR is? Check out this explanation.

CVS
1st transaction:
Lemonade and Simply Orange Vitamin water @ $1.25 ea
1 CVS popcorn
2 strawberry & peanut butter M&M's clearanced @ $.22 ea
- $4 EB (adjusted to $3.96)
Total = $0 OOP!
+ I earned $3 EB for buying the Vitamin water and I got my free gift coupon for a 4 pack of batteries. These happen to be on sale B1G1F so next time I go I will get 2 packs FREE! I read about the Vitamin water producing $3 EB on SlickDeals. That means that you pay $1.25 for the Vitamin water and get back $3! Sounds like a $1.75 MM to me! It only works on certain flavors and it only gives you one no matter how many you buy in a single transaction.

2nd transaction:
1 Lemonade Vitamin water @ $1.25
1 Skippy peanut butter @ $2
- $3 EB from previous transaction
Total = $.25 OOP
+ I earned $3 EB for buying the Vitamin water

3rd transaction:
1 Simply orange Vitamin water @ $1.25
1 Skippy peanut butter @ $2
- $3 EB from previous transaction
Total = $.25 OOP
The EB from this transaction didn't print, I guess becase the Simply orange doesn't make it print. My receipt did say that I had not reached the offer limit so the manager checking me out manually printed the EB. This is a great new thing that they are able to do at CVS now so if your EB doesn't print say something and they can make it print for you.

I also got rainchecks for all the Back 2 School items that are free after EB (FAEB) as well as the Blink eye drops and Electrasol dishwashing tabs.

Budget: $40 - $12 - $5.52 - $.25- $.25 = $22 for the rest of the week.

My $40 Weekly Challenge!

Okay so this week starts my $40 weekly challenge! Yeah! I'm excited to get started and see how much i can really save. I have chosen $40 as our budget after looking at how much I usually spend at the grocery store as well as CVS and WG's. I am not going to include eating out in this budget, however, grocery and health/beauty/household items will be included. I'm definitely going to do my best to stay within this budget and may have to adjust it.

As we go throughout the week I'll keep track of how I'm doing with my purchases. Keep in mind that in our family there is me, my husband, our 2 yr old and 3 mo old. I have also built up our stockpile to have 3+ months worth of shampoo/conditioner, toilet paper, Kleenexes, diapers, wipes, razors, deodorant, body wash, toothbrush/toothpaste, dishwasher detergent, soap, laundry detergent, household cleaner, etc. Of course, this may not be the ideal number for everyone and should be adjusted should you choose to take on a challenge of your own.

Feel free to post any comments if you're taking on a challenge of your own. Good luck!

Great Week at CVS!!

Okay, if you're not into shopping at CVS, this is a GREAT week to start! There are a lot of small EB (Extra Bucks) offers so your OOP (out of pocket) would be small.

I absolutely love CVS! I have stocked my home with free H&B items, diapers, toys, even decor FREE from CVS.

So, here's the low down on CVS and EBs:

- First things first. If you don't have a CVS card - sign up in the store and get your card. Always be sure to give the cashier your card when checking out to benefit from the savings. You will also earn 2% back each quarter on what you spend.

- Look at the ad. Each week you will see items that offer EB (Extra Bucks) when you meet the purchase requirements. For instance, this week the ad states that Blink Tears or Gel Tears are $7.99 with $7.99 EB. That means when you buy that item the EBs will print on the bottom of your receipt. They are usually good for 1 month and can be used on the next purchase.

- Look for coupons to match up with EB deals. Going back to the Blink example, the RP 5/31 insert has a coupon for $4 off! That can be used to buy the item and then you will get the EBs.

- Scan your CVS card in the store. First thing I do when I walk into CVS is scan my card on the price scanner. This will print the CRTs (or store coupons) that are available for you at that time.

- Pick up your items.

- When you check out, hand the cashier your coupons in this order:

1- Any coupons that are for $/$$ (For example, when you sign up with a CVS card they periodically email you coupons for $4 off a $20 purchase). Your total may go below that amount after coupons, so always hand this one over first.

2- CRTs

3- Manufacture coupons

4- Extra Bucks. Keep in mind the the EBs are for a certain amount. If you subtotal is less than the amount of the EB you will need to buy something else or it will be adjusted and you will lose the difference.

So, back to our example with the Blink Eye Drops. You will have the cashier scan your CVS card, scan the Blink Eye Drops for $7.99. You then hand her the q for $4 off. Pay $3.99 + tax. On the bottom of your receipt you will receive $7.99 EB to be used next time. You just made $4 profit!

You may find that HOT deals like this run out quicklt. BE SURE to a raincheck. CVS rainchecks do not expire so they can be used when it is convenient.

The trick to CVS is to "roll" your EBs. Ideally you would take that $7.99 and buy items that will give you at least $7.99 back with minimal OOP. That is why this week is so great! There are a lot of $.99 items that are giving $.99 EB. Buy those items and roll the EB onto the next so that you don't have to pay OOP. Here's the list of EB items that stand out: (Thanks, Frugalsuz)

• Sun/Mon/Tues Only: Caliber or CVS Sticky Notes (2 pack), Glue stick (3 pack) OR Pencil/Ink Eraser (1 count) $0.99, get back $0.99 EB (Limit 2) = FREE
• Sun/Mon/Tues Only: Caliber or CVS One Subject Notebook (70 - 80 sheets) $0.99, get back $0.99 EB (Limit 2) = FREE
• Sun/Mon/Tues Only: Caliber or CVS Ball Point Pens (20 count) OR Wooden Pencils (10 pack) $0.99, get back $0.99 EB (Limit 2) = FREE
• Sun/Mon/Tues Only: Caliber or Its Academic Compass OR Protractor $1.50, get back $1.50 EB (Limit 2) = FREE
• Sun/Mon/Tues Only: Caliber or Its Academic 5" Pointed OR Blunt Tip Scissors $2.99, get back $2.99 EB (Limit 2) = FREE
• Sun/Mon/Tues Only: Caliber or Its Academic 12" Flexi Ruler $0.99, get back $0.99 EB (Limit 2) = FREE
• Sun/Mon/Tues Only: Caliber or Its Academic Stretchable Book Cover $0.99, get back $0.99 EB (Limit 2) = FREE
• Sun/Mon/Tues Only: 2-Pocket Poly Portfolio $0.49, get back $0.49 EB (Limit 2) = FREE
• Sun/Mon/Tues Only: Softsoap Nutri Serums (15 oz) $4.99, use $1 coupon (from Reinventing Beauty magazine) and get back $4 EB (Limit 1) = FREE
• Blink Tears or Gel Tears $7.99, use $1.50 coupon ($3 coupon possibly coming in this Sunday's paper) and get back $7.99 EB (Limit 1) = $3 or $1.50 profit (or FREE without coupon) *There is a $4 coupon in the 5/31 RP that expires 8/1. If your store starts sales early = $4 profit
• Electrasol (20 count) $4.50 - spend $20 and get back $10 EB (Limit 1), buy five Electrasols and use five $2.50 coupons (7/12 SS) = FREE
• Stayfree ($5) and/or Visine Drops or Wipes ($3.99), spend $10 and get back $5 EB (Limit 1). Options: buy two Stayfree and use BOGO coupon (6/28 SS) = FREE or buy three Visines and use three $3 coupons (6/14 SS) = $2.03 profit
• Pepsi 12 packs five for $12, get back $2 EB (WYB 5, Limit 1) = five for $10 or $2 each

Let me know if there are any questions and Happy CVS Shopping!!