CHEAP Candy at the Pig!

Get thee to Piggly Wiggly in Manchester, Georgia and stock up for Halloween, parties, rewards, whatever!

In a special display at the front of the store, there are bags of Fun-Size Peanut M & Ms on sale for 2/$2.99 (or about $1.50 apiece). On the front of most of the bags, there is a peelie coupon for 50 cents off one bag. When it doubles to $1.00 off (as it does for each coupon 50 cents and less), each bag is 50 cents.

You might remember a coupon in the newspaper about three weeks ago that had a Buy 2 Get 1 Bag Free coupon.....well, I have used it with mixed results. My suggestion is to try to give them that coupon FIRST, then give them the peelies, like so:

Buy-3 bags of Fun Size Peanut M & Ms (because you don't want to peel the coupon off one to use on another bag...not ethical)

Use- B2G1 Coupon first
50 cents off one bag
50 cents off one bag
(The first coupon is for a "free" bag, the other two coupons apply to the ones that you paid for. This is a good idea in theory, but each store has their own coupon policies...you may just want to use the 50 cents off coupons and call it good.)

I am buying my candy for the Fall Festival at our church (they always ask for bagged candy), prizes at school, and potty candy for R!!

Leave a comment and let me know what deals you got and what you will use your candy for.

FREE Post-It Note Sample...till 9/15, Gifts to Grow code

Make sure to snag this cool freebie for your home office. Go here to the Post-It website and receive a free sample of Post-It Durable Tabs and Label Pads.

I was working at school last week and pulled out a free sample that I received a year or so ago. It sure is nice to be able to try before you invest the money and buy....and I definitely like these products.

Also, if you are signed up with the Pampers Gifts to Grow program, here is a new code for 10 points: GTGCOUPONPOINTS

Leave a comment with any freebies you have seen lately!

Swagbucks 101

This is the first in a series of three posts I will be doing that explain very specific parts of my online quest for shopping excellence. :-)

Swagbucks is basically a site that rewards you for doing things that many of us do daily. Do you conduct internet searches? make online purchases? play online games? take surveys? Through the Swagbucks website, you can do all these things and be rewarded with Swagbucks, which the site compares to frequent flyer miles. When you have amassed a certain number of Swagbucks, you can trade them in for free stuff, like Amazon gift cards. OK, so did you catch that? You can earn FREE Amazon giftcards for searching the web. Are you thinking, Christmas presents? Because the other possible giftcards to earn are from Macy's, Target, and Bass Pro Shop, to name a few.

Yes, this is a very quick overview of a website that has much more to offer. This is yet another one of those very complicated and involved things that can be as intricate as you want it to be.....or it can be extremely easy. I only use Swagbucks in one way--to search the internet. I downloaded the toolbar onto my computer and use it instead of any other search engine (Bing, Altavista, or Google). And, very rarely do I ever need to search for anything out of the ordinary....I searched "Blogger" to get here. I search "facebook", "gmail", and the other coupon blogs that I subscribe to, as well as my college online learning website. So far, I have earned one $5 Amazon giftcard and am saving up for a larger giftcard for Christmas (maybe a $50 one).

Today is "Mega Swagbucks Day"--every Friday is. So, searching can earn you many more points than on other days. Last week, I got 50 Swagbucks for searching for my own blog!!!

Happy searching!

3 Free Cards from Shutterfly

Oh, there is nothing like finding a deal! It works on me like a medicine!

Log on to Shutterfly today to get three cards (5x7 folded or invitation-size) for free plus shipping. Each card is about 36 cents after postage. I just made the cutest card with pics from our beach vacation, and I will use them as stationery to send a letter to my grandmother in Kentucky and some other relatives.

The coupon code is SUMMERCARDS. Enter it at checkout, and the discount will come off immediately.

If you are new to the site, you will get 50 free digital 4x6 prints.

Please sign up through one of the cash-back sites before completing your purchase (just got my "Big Fat Check" from Ebates yesterday and did a huge deal on ShopAtHome last night and this morning, so that check should be rolling in shortly). I promise you, you won't be sorry. Come on! I clip coupons that are worth 25 cents. You better believe that I will get cash back anywhere I can.

I will post more information on these websites later in the week. Until then, just try it if you are interested. TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!!!

HURRY....Snapfish photo deal ends 8/17

Don't complain about having all these great photos and doing nothing with them....(Erin)....

You can upload them and get free shipping on any photo gifts, plus a free 8x10 collage print, from Snapfish with the coupon code GRANDSHIP. You must put the 8x10 collage print in your cart for the free shipping to be triggered, by the way.

There are some really nice gifts, such as mugs, posters, and calendars, if you are thinking ahead for Christmas gifts. The site does specify that other offers cannot be used in conjunction with this special deal. If I am reading this correctly, you could probably cheap out on it and order a few digital prints for 9 cents apiece, then do your collage print and get it all shipped for free.

Hmm, that sounds like a plan right there, pardners....and perhaps even a gift for someone special. The time taken to create something like that (8x10 collage) shows you care, and nobody has to know the final price tag. (I would actually applaud the savvy shopper, but you know that not everybody else is as painfully frugal as I am.)

Let me know what you chose to order!

Rewards Programs for Diapers...Scam or Deal?

It all started three and a half years ago, when I was beginning to show during my first pregnancy. I was making a diaper cake for one of my friends at work when I noticed a sticker-thing stuck to the inside of the pack of Pampers. I looked, and it was a sticker with a numerical/alphabetical code, a website, an expiration (which, it turns out, is fake), and the promise of free stuff.

For those of you who know me, that's all it took.

I began keeping and entering codes for Gifts to Grow, which is the Pampers diapers, wipes, and training pants rewards program. Basically, you keep up with the stickers, found inside the packages of diapers and training pants, or the code etched into the top of tubs of wipes/printed on the side of wipes refills, and enter them at the Pampers website. Thereafter, you can use the points earned from the codes to "buy" rewards.

So far, and I have been doing this program for 3.5 years.....I have earned a Melissa and Doug flower pot toy, a Sesame Street book (both with free shipping), 12 free birthday invitations from Shutterfly (only had to pay shipping)....and I now have 970 points, which means that I am ready to order my baby girl's birthday invites for this fall! It doesn't sound like much, but there are many opportunities to order other things that are as cheap as 400 points. At 150 points, you can earn a $3 credit to Diapers.com....which is a great site that many of my friends have used with success (don't forget...you can mail in coupons to your diapers.com account for use on your next order!). I just happened to want to save my points toward things that are a little pricier (and many times I would forget to keep codes/save tubs, which would have meant more points). Interested? Sign up here.

What I have been less successful with is the Huggies rewards program, which they began a few years back as their answer to Pampers' program. It is called Enjoy the Ride Rewards, and it seems to be pretty cool. They have many things, such as entries into raffles, that you can buy with your points for cheap, but I'm not the lottery type. So I have faithfully socked away my Huggies points, also stickers found inside the packs of diapers, swim pants, and training pants, as well as refill packs of wipes, and have....172 points total. I am very (VERY) patiently working toward coupons for a free tub and free refill of wipes. Grrrr.... Again, this would probably not be the case if I had rescued every sticker from the garbage after DH threw the empty bag away, or if Huggies had not been trying to offload every old pack of diapers at the start of this summer (lots of deals on packs that had no stickers). Unlike Pampers, however, you can earn points by completing polls, reading things from their websites, and so forth. Long story short, you can go for it here, but maybe it would be more fun to spend points on the instant win giveaways than just wait, like me.

Some free rewards codes (which are completely legit, as they are not the actual codes from within the packs; it is unethical and impossible to share those, as they are unique) for Pampers include:

WELCOME2PAMPERS (50 pts)
FACEBOOKJUL10
ENJOYYOURSUMMER (10 pts)
15GTGSUMMERFUN (15 pts)
25GTGSUMMER2010 (25 pts)
GTGSPRINGFREE10 (10 pts)
THRIFTYMOMMYGTG (10 pts)
WELCOME2VILLAGE10 (10 pts)
JOINTHEFUNGTG09 (10 pts)
WELCOME2GTG2010 (10 pts)
GROWWITHVILLAGE (10 pts)
GTGLEARNMORE089 (10 pts)
GETSTARTEDNOW10 (10 pts)

That oughta get you on your way!
The only one I can share for Huggies is BDTXQ-TXPHP-GXPGB (5 pts).

Ever gotten a reward from one of these programs? Share with the group! (Or let me know if one code has expired....since I've already used them, I don't really know.)

Deals Found at the Piggly Wiggly in Manchester, Georgia

There is a tearpad of coupons on a display of Kool-Aid Sugar-Free Drink Mix Canisters; the coupon is $1 off one can, which, when they are 2 for $4, makes it $1 apiece. Remember, it is only good etiquette to take two coupons per store visit so that other consumers have a chance.

Also, Double Luck Cut Green Beans are $0.50 a can, which is pretty much the lowest price without coupons that one can get.

ConAgra foods, such as Hunt's Ketchup (10 for $10, but you DO NOT have to buy all 10 to get sale price), Chef Boyardee canned pastas ($1 apiece, several varieties), Hunt's tomato sauce ($1/2 cans) and Hunt's Snack Packs ($1 apiece) have been on sale for awhile. However, here is a deal idea for beginners:

Buy: 10 total items from ConAgra (Hunt's Ketchup, Snack Packs, Chef Boyardee, Hunt's Pasta Sauce, etc.)
2 boxes fruit snacks (up to $2.00 in value)

Use: 2 - Coupons from In-Store Circular "Buy 5 ConAgra items get 1 Fruit Snacks Free" (since you may ethically use two such coupons if you retrieve them on this trip; found next to shopping baskets in front of store)
- several Qs from 8/1/10 newspaper for Snack Packs ($0.30/2, which will double to $0.60 per two Snack Pack purchases, making them $0.70 apiece)

(It would actually be cheapest to purchase 10 cans of tomato sauce @ 50 cents apiece, but you may not need/want to have that many cans of tomato sauce.)

Get: staple items that you need for cheap (I'm thinking lunchboxes). If you combine this deal with a few other things here and there, you will be spending more than $25, which means that you will also receive a *FREE* item at Piggly Wiggly. On Tuesday, 8/10/10, this was a box of Kraft Mac & Cheese, although they have also given a loaf of bread, a 2-liter Coke, and a dozen eggs.

Some of you may be rolling your eyes and saying, "Fruit snacks? Macaroni? What am I, five years old?" As always, you may not eat it, but perhaps the food pantry would gladly accept your donation....maybe your local church's Children's Ministry (ahem) would accept fruit snacks....maybe the church's youth group could use some nonperishable items for their next trip. All of the above items are at low prices, and a little coupon-clipping that results in nothing more than kindness or compassion toward a fellow human being is worth it, in my book.

Also, save your receipts. ConAgra did a cool coupon book when you buy $10 in their products twice this spring. I have the feeling they may come out with another offer like that fairly soon.

Finding Diapers For Less

I have two small children, and so for the past three years or so, my budget (and life) has all but been consumed by the need for diapers, wipes, and other baby necessities. I used to wait and go to Wal-Mart, buying those huge boxes of all different brands, depending on what was on sale. I even saved diaper coupons, but never did such a hot job of actually using them when I had them. I felt like we were always out of something, and it placed an inordinate amount of stress on me.

Now, I can't WAIT to go and hit a diaper sale at a drugstore or Kroger....and that says a lot. Right now, I usually don't purchase diapers (name brand jumbo packs, mind you) for more than $5 a pack (many are cheaper).....and I am getting many, many more diapers for my money than I used to.

Here are my top three ways to get cheap diapers:

1. Clip coupons and check blogs (of some sort). Diaper/wipes coupons are regularly found in at least one coupon insert per month; they are usually always in the Procter & Gamble insert, when one is present. Baby product (i.e., Johnson's & Johnson's products) Qs require more patience when only purchasing a Sunday paper. However, there are constantly new coupons being put on one of the big 3 printable coupon sites. Also, the blog thing--many blogs will have coupon matchups with deals that can be done in a specific order to save money. Although you can certainly DIY, unless you know all the ins and outs of the drugstores, it is very helpful to see how someone else is going to get that pack of diapers and other assorted goodies in the transaction.

2. Pay attention to sales and loyalty programs. If you don't go get every pack of diapers that cost $1.94 from CVS because the nearest store is 45 minutes away, that's okay! Simply buying a pack of diapers on sale for $8.99 from a store in your town and using a few coupons to sweeten the deal can be helpful. Although it is certainly one way to do things, NOT EVERYBODY wants to stockpile (which is what many of the blogs set up their coupon matchups to do). Simply paying attention to when prices are at a good level when you might be running low can prevent you buying the same pack of diapers from a gas station at 11 p.m. for $11.99. (Been there.) It also helps to sign up for things like Single Check Rebates from Rite Aid, which often allow you to get $1 or $2 back in rebate form at the end of a month for buying a pack of diapers. You kiddin' me? I already do that, and to get an extra buck or two just for typing in my receipt number is totally worth it. When those checks roll in, I think....yard sale money! :-)

3. Try new things. There is a company called Arquest that works with manufacturers and consumers to conduct diaper studies several times during the year. It varies as to what sizes and genders they are testing at any given time. I just finished a study this week on training pants. They sent me three packs of training pants and three paper surveys; I also had two scheduled phone interviews to relay my information to the surveyor. In all, the phone interviews took about 12 minutes, and the paper surveys took about 15 minutes. I will receive a check for $10 in the mail as a "thank you gift" for my completing all three of the surveys within the time window (for basically 30 minutes of my time)....but three packs of undergarments for free is a huge help, anyway. I have tried this survey option with both my boy and girl; however, I would encourage some caution, as some children are sensitive to ingredients in diapers, and you don't always know "whose" diapers they are...some friends have kids who can only wear one brand or another, or who have to stay away from Pampers Cruisers, etc. However, my kids have rear ends like armadillos, so that wasn't a concern for me (although I would have discontinued at first sign of rash). Here are the numbers to contact the company; simply leave a message detailing what size diapers your child wears, along with the regular stuff.

GIRLS: 1-888-342-7372 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-888-342-7372 end_of_the_skype_highlighting ext. 646 (The woman you speak to is named Georgia)
BOYS: 1-888-342-7372 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-888-342-7372 end_of_the_skype_highlighting ext. 634 (The woman you speak to is named “Cheyla”, but it sounds like Sheila)

Hope this wasn't too wordy, and I hope it gives you a place to start with baby items. Have any great tips for saving money? Leave a post for the good of the group.

Finding Coupons, Part Two

When I re-read my posting on places to find coupons the other day, I rolled my eyes. There are TONS of places to find coupons, and I covered only a few of them. So, without exhausting you (or belaboring the point), here are some more ideas for coupon-hunters:

1. Be a concerned consumer. By emailing, snail mailing, or calling the toll-free number of a company, they are very likely to respond to you in a positive manner, whether or not you have anything positive to say. To give you a couple of examples, I have bragged on Calmoseptine ointment (for diaper rash), Breyers yogurt, and Land O'Lakes butter and found INCREDIBLE samples and coupons in my mailbox not long after.....but Kraft did right by me when I complained about the recent re-formulation of some of their salad dressings and sent me high-value coupons. Simply find a place on the website that says, "Contact Us", and do so.If t he task seems daunting, pick one or two companies whose products you are faithful to and email them; it will take five minutes .You might be pleasantly surprised about who will offer you something in return.

2. Surf. As stated in the previous post, most printable coupons can be found on one of three major sites, but there are many companies who provide one or a few coupons to be printed from their own website. For instance (don't judge me!), Little Debbie's website provided one or two coupons for chocolate cupcakes and the like on their web page.

3. Keep your eyes peeled. Other than blinkies, peelies, hangtags, and tearpads, also discussed in the previous post, one of my favorite Rite Aid stores in Bowdon, Georgia has displays set up with small manufacturer booklets that explain more about the product with coupons as well. They were on a lower shelf with only one specific product in the display; in the past, I have also seen some awesome allergy coupons in this format as well. Some small informational booklets are just that, but it always pays to check.

4. With free samples. Not that getting a little tiny sample in your mailbox (score!) is not enough, but....many times, there may be a coupon included with the sample. I have gotten Nivea, Pampers, All-Bran, and Garnier coupons this way.

5. In or on boxes. This is a tricky one, but again, it pays to pay attention. There may be a small graphic on the item to indicate that there are coupons inside the item, which is of course enticing you to purchase it--but if the item is on sale, who cares? Printed on the actual item boxes....Cheerios, Pampers, Betty Crocker Warm Delights, and Banquet Family Meals. Found inside the item (in a booklet, etc.).....Biore, Schick, and many, many packages of Pampers, where I have found coupons for Cheerios, Kandoo products, and Easy Ups.

6. Magazines. Hopefully, "all you" guys know about the All You magazine, which can be found in Wal-Mart only (or through a home subscription). This magazine is your average folksy women's rag with fashion, home, and beauty stories, but includes coupons that range from a total of $55 to $85 in savings!! But, there are many others in magazines for the taking. I have found them in Redbook, Glamour, Parents, Family Fun, Ladies' Home Journal, to name a few.

**Related savings news...Thanks to a great friend, Knowly, who pointed out that the photo websites, particularly Shutterfly and Walgreens, have super-duper deals on a regular basis! Walgreens even has a feature where you can ship photo items to ANY Walgreens....which means you can send new pics to your great-aunt and -uncle who don't get on "the email" (thanks, Haley!).

Also, one more observation.....I noticed that in this week's Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, a newspaper that I buy religiously every week, there was a line at the top proclaiming "Over $150 in savings". Pretty impressive, unless you also got the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which stated that it contained wayyyyyy more than that (perhaps twice or three times)....... Just goes to show you--if you can, be sure to purchase Sunday papers from the largest possible newspaper.

55-cents off 2 Yoplait Whips: High Value Coupon

For all you Yoplait fans out there....

I am a member of a panel of consumers for General Mills, and these opinions are my own.
They recently sent me an email extolling the virtues of Yoplait Whips. They suggest that you put a container of this whipped yogurt in the freezer overnight and enjoy a low-calorie, low-fat frozen treat the next day....

They also provided me with this link for family and friends who might want to print a high-value yogurt coupon. Most yogurt coupons (printable or otherwise) are for purchases of 6-8 yogurts; this coupon is for two yogurts, which means if you find a sale, you are getting a great deal! Also, for you Bi-Lo shoppers out there (wherever you are....are there Bi-Lo Supermarkets in GA?), this coupon will double, since Bi-Lo doubles coupons up to 55 cents. In short, this is a must-print coupon.

What is your favorite flavor? I can remember first tasting this yogurt at my brother's wedding brunch....strawberry and oh so delicious. My son, who was the only lil' peach at the time, loved it also. Leave a comment telling your favorite flavor, and be sure to print the coupon. (It only uses a quarter of a page, for you paper-saving folks out there....be sure to use your "back" button.)

Where Can I Find Coupons?

One of the biggest perceived pitfalls of couponing comes when people say, "Well, I am not going to buy all of those newspapers. What a waste of money!" (I actually disagree here, citing this past week's insane P&G coupon insert, but....)

The truth is, you can find coupons in lots of places besides your lone subscription to a large city's newspaper (read: Columbus Ledger-Enquirer or AJC, and I'll give you three guesses on which paper is better for coupons....ahem, wish I lived in Hotlanta). I will list only a few here, and if you have any ideas, please feel free to share below! I am still learning, too!

1. Obviously, you can ask friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers, etc. if you can have their unused inserts/coupons from the newspaper. This is especially juicy if you are in different places in life... if you need diaper coupons and they need coupons for cat food and Boost drinks, you can trade up and feel great about it!

2. Grocery store flyers and booklets (found in the store itself). Here is a link to my post on the coupon flyer in Piggly Wiggly, Manchester, Georgia; however, many booklets and flyers are entirely store specific. For instance, Publix booklets can be found at the ends of aisles or near special displays in the store....and store-specific grocery coupons can be used WITH manufacturer coupons (this is called "stacking", when you use two coupons on one item....it is permissible) in places like Publix. Walgreens also has coupon booklets on a monthly basis.

3. Blinkies (found in grocery/drug stores near the items). A "blinky" is a small machine that dispenses coupons one at a time. When you take one coupon, it dispenses another one quickly. However, after you take the second coupon, the machine hesitates. The reason here is that it is good coupon etiquette to take only TWO of any free coupon. Blinkies are telling you, "Walk away!" So, be an ethical couponer and thank the Lord that you found an awesome coupon (without taking every last coupon)! I frequently see these in major grocery stores in the cereal aisle and near the dairy section (whether for cheese, yogurt, or something else). However, be warned...some are creatively placed. I found an awesome blinky for Kraft cheese in the freezer section. Hmm....

4. Tearpads (found in grocery/drug stores near the items). A tearpad is what it sounds like...a pad of coupons that is placed near the item in question. These are great because they draw your attention to that bag of Tostitos and encourage you to make a snap purchase. However, let me encourage you to demurely rip off your limit of two and walk away (unless there is a kickin' sale), retaining your coupons for another trip. Just using a coupon because you have it is sort of playing to the manufacturer. Using a coupon when you can get money off your next purchase, work toward a rebate, or buy things for less than $1 is going to help your family out instead. (Do make sure to check the expiration date before you get all excited....says the girl who thought she was going to make a purchase of Benefiber a huge moneymaker. Ha, ha! It was only free, oh well. :-)

5. Peelies (found on the item itself in sticker form) or hangtags (usually hanging from the neck of a bottle). These are great coupons. Really, they are! But, it is unethical to remove one from a product that you do not intend to purchase. The reason the manufacturer puts them on there is to entice you to purchase it; okay, I get that. But it is not okay for me to just pull the peelies/hangtags off and stuff them into my pocketbook when the next shopper could really need that item and the corresponding coupon. Not cool, folks. These are coupons that you also need to check the expiration date on. I have purchased several things in the past which said, "Try Me Free!" Well, I could have tried them for free....in 2009. So, buyer beware, and take a gentle look at expiration dates, if possible.

6. Home mailings. Publix comes to mind when I think AWESOME connections with the consumer. They have many different kinds of booklets to register online for; if you have babies, their Baby Club is wonderful and comes with all sorts of freebies. There is also a toddler club (called Preschool Pals), GreenWise Magazine, FamilyStyle magazine, and a magazine about wine. The link here will take you to the general page where you can sign up to receive these home mailings. It is enough to make you want to start shopping at Publix if you have never darkened their doors! The magazines come with a mix of articles, recipes, and coupons--both store and manufacturer. (So, this means that, even though Publix sent you the mailing, you may use the manufacturer coupons elsewhere.)

7. The internet (for printable coupons). This is the easiest way to do coupons, for some people. You simply go to one of the three major sites and start printing off coupons. SmartSource, Red Plum, and Coupons.com are the Big 3. These sites have two basic principles: 1) you may generally print TWO of each coupon, either by pressing your back button once (if a message pops up that says your computer will have to resend the information, say OK) or by looking for the coupon again, and 2) at the end of each month, the coupons reset. So, if you find a high-value coupon for Huggies (there is one this month, btw), you can print two of those coupons immediately. Then, you may print two more, if they are still available, next month (the coupons have even been known to reset the print limits within the same month; check your favorite blog). May I suggest something, though? Unless you KNOW you will get the product, wait until you plan your shopping trip. Otherwise, you will end up with lots of expired printable coupons and less printer ink to boot. Sorry to be a killjoy.

8. The internet (for electronic coupons). This is weird, but I know that with Kroger (don't know where else), you can register your Kroger Plus card number with three services that will allow you to upload a one-time coupon onto your card. The amount of the coupon will deduct itself automatically, with no fuss, and will show on your receipt. It will only do this one time. However, it can make for some really great savings. Say you buy a box of granola bars. Use a manufacturer coupon on them for 50 cents (it will double to 1.00 at most grocery stores); if you are at Kroger, you can usually upload a coupon for the granola bars onto your Kroger Plus card. So, you can save upwards of $1.50 on a single box! Try Cellfire, Shortcuts, and Procter and Gamble's electronic coupons (P & G makes for some great deals this week @ Kroger, btw!).

Okay, the husband is calling for me to hit the sack, so I better go. Hope these ideas help you out...I know I probably forgot something, so post it for the good of the group, folks! Happy couponing!

Comments Welcome!

At least, they are now. I changed the permissions so that you can actually post comments and ideas for deals, like I have asked for.... Thank you for being patient as I learn more about this craft!

I will post again later with some ideas for how to find coupons, for those of you who are just going to start building up your coupon stash. I went to Piggly Wiggly today and scored two coupon fliers (see July posting) as well as a coupon for $2.00 off milk wyb (when you buy) 5 Kellogg's cereals. Now, why didn't I find that silly coupon before I went to Rite Aid the other day? Ah, regret..... :-)

Anyway, thanks for following me, and we'll talk again soon.

An Ode to Rite Aid

Oh, Rite Aid, how do I love thee?
Thou art more organized than I could ever be....
(although Nivea Lip Care was hard to find that one week)
Your cashiers are endlessly polite,
About coupons you never fight.

Okay, so my poetry needs a bit of work, daahlings, but here is the point:
I have seen bloggers post pictures of their "steals and deals" from stores, and sometimes, it irritates me. What, are they just trying to brag? Make me feel like less of a woman 'cause I paid full price for four rolls of toilet paper the other day?

I think I have the answer. Yes, they are bragging, a little. But the primary reason why I am going to post a picture of my deal is that I want people to understand that you, too, can do this. I am not a smart person, by any account, but I skim my favorite blogs using Google Reader, buy the newspaper, and print off coupons as needed. And, that is what I did for the following deal:

6 boxes Kellogg's Cereal @ 2 for $4
4 boxes Kellogg's Pop-Tarts @ 2 for $4
4 tubs Pampers wipes @ 2.49 (I used a raincheck for these babies)

Then, I used:
2 - $1 off Apple Jacks or Froot Loops (found on back of mini boxes of cereal @ bread store)
2 - $1 off wyb 2 Kellogg's Cereals (printed)
2 - $1 off wyb 2 Kellogg's Pop Tarts (one printed, one from newspaper)
4 - $2 off Pampers wipes (from newspaper, but I bought some from Ebay)
1 - $5 off Rite Aid purchase over $25 (printed from Rite Aid "Video Rewards" online)
1 - $2 +UP Reward (was going to expire...prints on end of receipts at Rite Aid)

My total was $10.91. However, each Kellogg's item caused $1 in "+UP Rewards" (aka Rite Aid money that works like CVS ExtraCare Bucks, if you know that system) to print: $5 worth. Then, I will get back a $5 rebate from Rite Aid for purchasing at least $15 in Kellogg's items.

Final cost: $0.91 for 14 items, or about 7 cents an item!!

Let me repeat: I am not a genius. I also do not run from store to store, scooping up every cheap or free deal possible. If I did that, I would be broke and with a house full of junk I don't need. But, the few things I do happen to work for me.

Let me encourage you to buy a newspaper, or to ask your friends, neighbors, and co-workers if they have coupon inserts that they don't use. You can do it!