This is something I should've posted here on 2/7/12

Today at Walgreens, Target and CVS should've been $94.67 out of pocket. Instead I paid $22.53. That includes getting 18 packs of Depends Fit Kit packages, cat litter, cat food, 3 Scrubbing Bubbles 1 Step Toilet Cleaner Starter Kits, 6 candy hearts, night light bulbs, water, a doughnut, diapers, and a Lunchables.

Somehow I also managed to get a 25 minute massage in while PreK Newbie was in preschool too for all of 3 hours.

Did I mention I'm 7 1/2 months pregnant?

I'm wiped out!

Target trip 7/15/10

Turning this 



into this

My shopping trip to Target using this shopping list. All the picture is missing is 6 bags of cat treats, 2 boxes of Eggo waffles and a bottle of wine. All of this would've been $102.91 before coupons. I paid $56.50!  Lots of the above stuff was free.  

Here's the breakdown:

• 3 Women's Merona t-shirts on sale for $6 each.  Used $2 off Target q.  Paid $12 instead of $18
• 1 Men's Merona t-shirt on sale for $6.  Used $2 off Target q.  Paid $4
• 1 6-pack Hanes underwear on sale for $5.54.  Used $1 off Target q.  Paid $4.54
• 6 Stride gums at $1.29 each.  Used 3 buy-1-get-1-free Target and Manufacturer coupons.  FREE
• 1 Kraft Mac & Cheese on sale for $0.69 
• 1 Sutter Home wine $7.99 
• 1 Sara Lee bread $2.79
• 6 Purina Cat Treats for $0.89 each.  Used $1.50 when you buy 2 q's.  Looking at the receipt, it shows that 3 coupons were used but $0.00 came off for each.  I need to talk to them about this.  I feel I'm due a $4.50 refund from this!
• 2 Kingsford Charcoals $6.26 each.  Used 2-$1 off q's.  Paid 10.52 for both
• 2 Hidden Valley Ranch $2.54 each.  Used free Hidden Valley Ranch when you buy Kingsford Charcoal.  FREE
• 2 KC Masterpiece $3.81.  Used 1 free KC Masterpiece when you buy Kingsford Charcoal q and 1 $1 off KC Masterpiece q.  $0.42 for both
• 2 Gladware $4.99 each.  Used 2 free Gladware bowls coupons when you buy Kingsford Charcoal q's.  FREE
• Glad Press N Seal wrap $2.64.  Used free glad product when you buy Kingsford Charcoal q.  FREE
• 2 EGGO Waffles $4.53.  Used $1 off 2 manufacturer q's and $1 off 2 Target q's.  Paid $2.53 for both.

The only WIC item was the bread.  It's literally the ONLY one I'm allowed to get with WIC, so I can't bargain shop for the city, even though I'd like to.  I don't mind this bread, but there's much others of better quality for less money I'd rather buy.  

I called today (7/17) about what I noticed about the cat treats coupons.  She said they've already sent the coupons off, therefore they have no way to verify what coupon I had or that I'm due a refund.  I may just have to return them.  It's not right - the receipt clearly states I had a coupon for the cat treats, the coupon is listed right below it, the amount off is listed as $0.00.  Why would any consumer bother with a coupon for $0.00? I was given a lecture about how I need to check my receipt before I leave the store next time.  I gave her a lecture on how PreK Newbie had been running around, tearing up the store, and how I was frustrated and needed to get him out before some real problems started.  She continued with her lecture.  I figured she never had kids.  I continued on how they'd be getting an excess of $4.50 back but now I'm not getting the discount I legally deserve.  They'll give me my money back, but after much hassle.  *sigh*

They also didn't take any money off for my reusable bags.  While I was there, the manager gave me a $0.25 refund for the ones they used.

Ok, so all this begs the question, is anyone else having problems using q's at stores?  This isn't the first time at Target that it's happened to me, and it's happened too many times to mention at my local Kroger.  If I was doing something illegal or immoral that'd be one thing.  Stores are getting their money plus $.008 back for each coupon they turn in.  Let's use an easy number to figure this out.  Let's say they get 100 manufacturer coupons a day.  They get reimbursed the face value of the coupon PLUS $8.00!  In all honesty, they'd be turning in closer to thousands of coupons a day for one location alone!  It's a money maker for these stores for minimal effort.  How am I hurting them by requesting the discounts?  If you think about it, they should be upset a the customers that don't use coupons.  It's costing them more money!!!!

Target trip 6/30/09 - 67% Savings!

This is my last post for today, I promise!!!! I'm finally caught up after this one.

I really wish I had a deep freeze. I'd totally buy more brisket at $0.99 a pound and cut it into steak size pieces to freeze. I'd do the same thing with the corn since it's $0.10 an ear. Alas, I have a tinier freezer than most apartment freezers are (seriously - it's smaller than any one I've ever had before), so I can't. Anyone wanna donate a working deep freeze? LOL

I was sorta confused on what the checkout girl did. She took the WIC off first then said I had to pay the full price for everything and she'd give me cash back as a refund for my coupons. I guess it's because they did the WIC tender before the coupons. I have to remember that next time for my Target purchase. At least I have a little cash in my pocket that I won't have to stop at the ATM to get!

1. Dawn dishwashing soap 2 at $2.49 each = $4.98, had a $1.50 off manufacturer coupon and a $0.50 off Target coupon for each, so paid $0.49 each ($0.98 total)
2. Raid $2.54, had a $2.00 off coupon, so paid $.54
3. Crystal Light packets - 6 for $0.99 each, had either $1 off coupons or buy 2 get $2 off coupons, so FREE
4. A1 steak sauce 2 at $2.09 each, had $2.00 off coupons so paid $0.09 each, or $0.18 total
5. Sweet corn - 4 ears at $0.10 each, normally would've been $2.00 instead of $0.40
6. Jiffy peanut butter $2.09 purchased with WIC
7. Einstein bagles $2.97 (my diet didn't last long - thanks STRESS!)
8. Brisket $9.53
9. Honey Bunches of Oats Vanilla Clusters $5.98 purchased with WIC
10. Welches juice - 4 at 6.28 purchased with WIC
11. Milk 2.04 purchased with WIC
12. Bounty basic $0.99, had a $0.50 off Target coupon and a $0.25 off manufacturer coupon so paid $0.24
13. Cottonelle travel wipes $0.99, had a $1.00 off Cottonelle Target coupon
14. Omeprazole $7.49 (again, thanks STRESS)
15. Pictureka card game $6.64, had a $5.00 off coupon, so paid $1.64 for a whole new game!
    

• Total $63.64
• WIC paid $16.39
• Coupons totaling $21.00
• Paid out of pocket 48.47 and got $21.00 back from the cashier totaling 26.25 actually paid!

$42.64 saved = 67% savings!

Busy Week!

I've been really busy all week because, well it was just one of those weeks. I have been shopping but I haven't taken pictures of anything so bear with me.

-Saturday 6/13-
Ran to Kroger because I needed some ground beef to go with my Hamburger Helper meals that I fed to my in-laws. Yes, that's not the first time I mentioned them because I love them so much!

Ground Beef on sale - got 2 pounds for $3.90 (saved $2.47)
Pork Chops on clearance for $3.22
Beef round steak on clearance for $3.30
Oscar Mayer lunch meat buy 1 get 1 free. $5.29 for 2, had a $1 off when you buy 2 coupon, paid $4.29 for 2 pounds of lunch meat!
Coffeemate $3.49, had a $1 off coupon, paid $2.49
Huggies Little Swimmers sprayable sunblock on sale for $6.99, had a $2.00 off coupon, paid $4.99. It cost less than the creamy goop that was Kroger brand!
Pineapple on clearance for $0.99
Mini watermelon on sale for $1.97

Cost before discounts & coupons = $40.32
Saved $14.78
Paid out of pocket $25.54
37% savings!

-Sunday 5/14-

Axe shower gels and shampoos were on sale at Walgreens buy 1 get 1 1/2 off. I had 10 coupons for the shampoos. My fiance LOVES the Axe products, so I figure that for a little while he can use the sampoos as body wash too. I know I do that when I find a scent I like in shampoo that I can't find in body wash.

10 Axe body washes: before the sales and coupons, $55.99, after the sales $44.93, after the coupons $24.93
Something I got for Dale for Father's day on clearance for $1.29 (it's totally his style and not the only thing he's gonna get)
Vaper bath on clearance for $0.82
Gerber first foods on clearance for $0.35 (as I said before, I throw a jar of this in with stuff like the aforementioned Hamburger Helper to add some veggies to it)

Cost before Axe discounts (because I'm not sure of the regular prices on the clearance items) $47.39
Paid out of pocket $28.85
61% savings!

-Monday 5/15-
Needed something for lunch, so I headed to Randall's since that's the closest grocery store to my workplace.

Newman's Own Salad Dressing - $3.39 regular price, on sale for $2.19, $1.00 off coupon, paid $1.19
Sweet Butter Blend lettuce - $3.49 regular price, on sale for $2.99
Budding beef - $0.89

Cost before discounts = $7.77
Paid $5.07 for 2 days worth of lunches. You sure can't do that at McDonalds!
35% savings!

$59.46 spent for the ENTIRE week. Without the coupons and savings it would've been $95.48. Talk about slashing the budget!

Target trip 6/12/2009

For some reason I thought I wasn't going to do well. I was wrong! Just takes a little planning! :D

Chex Mix - 6 bags at $2.24 each, had $0.50 off manufacturer coupons for each and $1.00 off Target coupons for each making them $0.74 each.
Market Pantry "goldfish" type crackers - to appease the boy $1.32
"Helper" meals - bought 6. They were supposed to be on sale for $1.25 each, but most rang up at $1.52 each. Used 2- buy 3 get $0.75 off manufacturer coupons and 3- buy 2 get $1.00 off Target coupons.
Einstein bagels - 2 for $1.98. I have a weakness for sesame seeded bagels and since I've decided that on Monday I'm going back to my low-carb diet, I wanted one last Hurrah! with my bagels.
Strawberries $2.99, had a $1.00 off Target coupon so paid $1.99 for the pound.
Kashi waffles 2-boxes on sale for $1.77 each, had a $1.50 off coupon, paid $0.27 each.
Morningstar meatless "meats" - bought 4 at $3.39 each, had $2.00 off each manufacturer coupons & $1.00 when you buy 2 Target coupons making them $0.89 each.
Degree deodorant $2.29. Had a $1.50 off Target coupon and a $1.00 off manufacturer coupon making them pay me $0.21 to take it off their hands (love it when that works out)
Tweezers $2.89
Ziploc containers & bags. I got 15 at various prices, had lots of manufacturer and Target coupons for them plus some of them were on sale. Would've paid $36.47 before all sales and coupons (more than I paid out of pocket for all this stuff!), the sales made them $35.62, the coupons made them all $17.47
Hefty trash bags $5.89, had a $0.55 manufacturer coupon and a $1.00 Target coupon making it $4.34
Cottonnelle TP $6.49, manufacturer coupon for $1.00 off and Target coupon for $1.00 off making it $4.49.

Total before coupons & discounts - $116.50
Total paid out of pocket - $34.78
Saved $81.72
70% savings!

Woo hoo!!!!!!!