Kroger... again.

I went and got a few more things since I came across some Cattlemen's, Frank's, and French's coupons. I also found the Kraft 2% blinkie well stocked at my store. :D

So I did one transaction and got 5 bars of cheese, 3 bags of shredded, and 2 bottles of mustard. OOP was $5.90, saved $28, 82%.

My second transaction had 2 sets of items for the mega sale, plus some Cottonelle TP and a tub of yogurt. I spent $16.41 OOP, saved $34.04, 67%. My Cottonelle IPs didn't want to work so they had to enter them manually and they didn't get doubled. :( It was a $1.50 I lost, which isn't much, but would have put my total at just under $15. Oh well. I did very well again so I'll live with it.

Being Thrifty-er

In the last few months I've done well for us and there are things we just don't need to worry about buying for some time. The stuff I can think of off hand..

~ Shampoo / Conditioner
~ Toothpaste
~ Mouth Wash
~ Bar Soap
~ Body Wash
~ Lotion
~ Dish Soap
~ Dishwasher Detergent
~ Feminine Supplies
~ Pain Relief
~ All Purpose Cleaner
~ Trash Bags
~ Candles, Air Fresheners
~ Facial Cleanser
~ Makeup
~ Cereal
~ Condiments: Ketchup, Mustard
~ Marinades, Salad Dressing, Worcestershire Sauce
~ Frozen Vegetables
~ Chicken
~ Canned Tuna
~ Dried Beans/Lentils
~ Pasta Sauce
~ Spaghetti Noodles
~ Tomato Soup
~ Cream of Mushroom Soup
~ Rice-a-Roni / Pasta-Roni
~ Canned Tomatoes / Ro*Tel


I need to look for meat other than chicken to go on sale and stock up. I'm going to make a greater effort to cook from scratch more often and reduce our grocery bill to things that are perishable and as food items come along on a decent sale again. Of course many of the non-food items I will not buy unless it's either VERY cheap, or free since I know it's possible.

I think I'll use my cooking blog to track my from scratch cooking. If someone can benefit even once from a meal plan I have then I'll be happy. :)

Citrucel

I ended up with 16 containers, and only one did I not have a manufacturer coupon for so I paid $2.59 for it, 7 were $1.59, and 8 were 59c. Total is $18.44. After the $16 in rebates for them from Caregivers that puts the total price for 16 boxes of Citrucel Soft Chews at $2.44. That's right at 15c a box, and a savings of 99%!

CVS and WAGs

I got my $5/2 Duracell CVS Qs in today so I ran to 2 CVS's to do the transactions. My haul..

10 packs of Duracell
1 L'Oreal HIP Lipstick
4 Sally Hansen Nail Colors

Total OOP - $1
Saved - $71.93


I also went to two WAGs because I was looking for some clearance items again. ;) WAGs haul..

7 Citrucel Soft Chews
2 Cans of Almonds
1 package Pull-Ups

OOP - $17.19
Saved - $76.04

I will be getting $1 rebates on each Citrucel and 75c rebate on the Pull-Ups from Caregivers Marketplace. So with that adjustment my OOP is $9.44. :D

Kroger and WAGs

I hit up Walgreens before going back to my 24 hour Kroger. I went in after Citrucel soft chews. They're on clearance for $5.59 for a 60 count box. There's a $3 Q in teh ESR booklet, and I had $2/1 Qs. I got all 4 they had on the shelf, and paid $2.36 OOP. I saved $41.60.

On to Kroger..

I got the following

Green Giant Steamers x 17
Quaker High Fiber Instant Oatmeal x 3
Totino's Pizza Rolls x 4
Kleenex x 1
Kleenex Anti-Viral x 4
Nature Valley Bars x 3
Rotel x 5
French's Yellow Mustard x 3
Dial Foaming Hand Wash x 3


I got that over 4 transactions that looked like this

OOP - $6.58
Saved - $20.57
76%

OOP - $4.43
Saved - $21.70
82%

OOP - $4.38
Saved - $20.80
82%

OOP - $1.22
Saved - $24.20
94%

Total OOP @ Kroger = $16.58
Total Saved @ Kroger = $87.27

Kroger Sale

EDITING THIS POST TOTALLY...

Kroger was out of Green Giant Steamers. I'm going back later to see if they have more when they stock tonight. Here's what I got...

Ken's Dressing x 2
Kraft Mayo x 1
Ro*Tel x 3
Nature Vally Granola Bar x 2
Hormel Chili x 8
Kraft Shredded Cheese x 2
Kleenex x 3
Glade Spray x 8
Pace Salsa x 1
Kroger Sliced Cheese x 3
Milk 1 gal. x 1
Select Harvest Soup x 6
Organic Bananas x 2.78 lbs
Blueberries x 1 clamshell



Total OOP after coupons was $27.08, saved 69% or $61.41. *w00t*

PICTURES!

Hopefully this won't get all messed up from my layout. I don't want to have to spend even more time editing pictures. *hides*

At some point I am going to take a stockpile inventory and I may just post it. O_o

Okay here we go!

This is the cabinet in the kitchen I had cleared out, but then started back up again.







My bedroom closet storage shelf..


Top drawer..


2nd drawer..


3rd drawer..


Bottom drawer..



On top of my dresser..


Bin on the right, top drawer..


Middle drawer..


Bottom drawer..


Bin on the right, top drawer..


Middle drawer..


Bottom drawer..



This is stuff going to my family for them to use or donate (I might be sending a few meters to a friend for her father though)








Not shown in the photos are things that are already in use, like 3 different scented oil outlets, a flameless candle, toothpaste, tooth brushes, Agent Cool Blue stashed in my oldest daughters bathroom, nail polish stashed in my bathroom .... bunches of stuff. I didn't take pictures of my pantry either.... O_O

CVS and Wags Weekend

I haven't updated with pictures or anything like I planned. My bad. I swear I'll get it done tomorrow!

I have a disgusting amount of Johnson's Buddies bars (28), and I found some 3-pack boxes of Johnson's lavender chamomile bedtime buddies style soap on clearance at Wal-Mart for $1.50 a box. I used the last 6 of mt $1/1 Qs and then used the Wal-Mart gift card my sister sent for my daughters for Christmas. :D

I spent a little OOP at CVS Saturday night. I did the Pepsi deal with one of my cards at CVS. I believe I paid $4.52 OOP for 4 12-packs, 2 2-liters, and 2 bags of Tostitos. Then I went to another CVS and used my other card and got a $5/$15 printed out at the price checker. So I had to think quick how to use it since I had just gone in to get some Tostitos Queso with my $3 ECB I had on that card. So I ended up with 2 jars of queso, a gallon of milk (that I was going to get at the grocery store across the street), and 2 bags of pita chips for $2.32 OOP.

Sunday I hit up Walgreens, but they were out of the Skippy. *mumbles* So I did the Bayer deal, paid $8.75 OOP and got my $10 RR back. I turned around and got the Orajel that is a rebate item this month (more about that in a moment), and 2 cans of almonds that were BOGO and I had a 75c/1 Q. I totally forgot to use my $1/1 Orajel coupon, which I only realized as I was pulling into my garage, but my OOP was till only $1.43.

Here's the awesome part. The Oragel is an ESR item this month so with the 10% back this month I'll get $9.34 from Walgreens. Then there's a rebat of up to $8 from Orajel!. I got a special rebate slip printed out for me by my cashier and I will be getting the full $8 back. So that's $17.34 back in my pocket off ONE item. :D

I went to another Walgreens after that to see if there was any Skippy, no dice. I did end up finding 3 boxes of root beer flavored ice pops for 50c a box on the clearance rack along with 4 bottles of Vicks Early Defense hand sanitizing foam for $1 a bottle. I use my "buy 2 Vicks products get a box of puffs tissue" coupon and got 2 boxes of Puffs. I paid $5.62 OOP for all that. More than I would normally like to spend, but hey I've done REALLY well lately.


I promise pictures tomorrow I swear. ;)

No longer using HCW

I will no long be using HotCouponWorld, and I will no longer recommend it either. I was absolutely appalled today when I was on the Walgreens forum and saw someone say this in regards to the Ragu deal this week...

"Maybe the gays in California should be grateful that they are not allowed to marry--they can get more ragu that way".

O_O


I understand that people have their own opinions on gay marriage, but it does not have a place in a forum meant for deals pertaining to a drug store. I'm so disgusted right now that I can barely form words.

SlickDeals.net is much better, and I have yet to see anyone say such deplorable things about gay marriage.

Okay I might have lied

*hides*

I got some coupons in. So I had to go hunting for the Febreeze candle on clearance. :D

I found 10, yes TEN, more. I also found a can of Febreeze air freshener on clearance for 33c! So my total haul for my first trip out yesterday looked like this..

10 Febreeze Candles
1 Febreeze Air Freshener
1 20oz Vanilla Coke
1 pack Chocolate Skittles (clearance as a filler)


And I also got a large pepperoni pizza from Papa Murphy's. The price on all of this ..... FREE. Bwhahahahah. :D Coupons and Clearance are my friends.


While I was hitting up the 2 CVSs near me for the candles I got a $10/$50 printed out as part of my CRT! Of course I was freaking out thinking "what am I going to spend FIFTY bucks on?!" One of my friends reminded me of the glucose monitors. The CVS was out of the OneTouch Ultras. I managed to get a OneTouch Mini and a Freestyle so that gave me $29.98. Amazingly enough the CVS did have the throat coolers that are part of the monthly deal. So that was $9.98. I got a 3-pack of Kleenex, the special pack of Cottonelle wipes, and a few Christmas clearance items as filler. After my $10/$50, $2 ECB I had left, and my Qs I owed $2.04! I got back $13.98 in ECBs, so I think that was a totally successful trip. :D

I'm going back later today to get my fill of the throat coolers on my second card. With 2 small kids and a boyfriend who's been sick all week I think it might be a wise investment to get stocked up.

My drug store spending this year is $74.90 and my savings so far is $1,447.07. O_O

Done for the month..

I need to total up my spending from today, but I'm pretty much done spending for the month. I'll get some news papers on Saturdays, and the things that go bad or get consumed quickly (milk, cheese, eggs), but aside from that I've done well enough getting us stocked up. I may spend the $4 to get 4 more loaves of Acti-Fiber bread from Kroger, and get another gallon of milk while it's $2.25 a gallon.

I dropped my coupon binder today and it popped open. I'm going to take it as a sign. The only way I'm going to do anything is if it's totally free or such a good deal that there's no way I could pass it up (like if hamburger is on sale for $1.50 a pound or something).

I reorganized my stockpile. I'll get pictures soon, and my savings totals too. ;)

Save save save.

Today was shopping day. I know, I know, almost everyday is shopping day for me. Today was payday and I was able to do a little more. My largest purchase of the day was $38.xx for more ink for my printer. I figure that I will save WAY more than $40 from it before I have to re-purchase, so it more than pays for itself.

I have a file folder now for all my receipts, save for the one I forgot to get today and the few I've sent in for rebates. Speaking of! My Wags/CVS total OOP spending is $36.98 thus far. Yeah, it seems like a bit, but I have made out really well, and Walgreens takes a little more OOP than CVS. I have $9.35 already for Walgreens ESRs. So that makes my OOP $27.63. Then I have 3 rebates I've sent out that should give me $20 back, so my adjusted OOP will be $7.63! I've saved $1,273.23. I didn't know it was so easy. O_O

I've tracked my spending 100% although I don't count gas since we only spend about $13 a week on gas (thank you Toyota Prius!), and my total spending so far for groceries, eating out, Wags/CVS.. you get the idea.. ~$234. I've saved ~$1440 between all of it.

I love couponing. :D

$14.08

My total was $2.76 more, but since the bottle of water and Mt Dew are not pictured this picture is what $14.08 looks like to me. Actually, there's a $1 pack of party mix not shown there, but included in the total. So really this is more like $13 worth. ;)



What is you see is ..

4 packs Stayfree pads
5 Garnier Leave in Conditioners
1 Garnier Conditioner
1 20ct Electrasol
2 Children's Christmas hats
2 packs of 100ct Christmas labels
1 32 pack Christmas cards
1 Scotch coupon cutter ;)
6 Johnson's Buddies Soaps
6 12ct packs Tucks
2 Juicy Juice
1 Fiber One pop tarts
5 12ct Electrasol


I went to Dollar General, WAGs, and Wal-Mart

I've struck again!

I went to a different Wags to get in on the Garnier deal. I got..

4 Shampoo
5 Conditioner
2 Hair Spray
2 Spray Gel
2 Gel
2 Mousse
1 Spray Shine
1 Freestyle Glucose Monitor
1 Glade Scented Oil Set
1 bag of sesame sticks

OOP - .03c
Saved - $153.70



Year to Date (1/4/09) Wags & CVS OOP - $23.79
Year to Date (1/4/09) Wags & CVS Savings - $846.60



*passes out*

Year to Date Savings

Yes I am well aware that we are only 4 days into the new year, but I feel the need to chronicle this. I have it on a spreadsheet, but that's not good enough. ;)


CVS Card #1

OOP - $6.68
YTD Savings - $319.98


CVS Card #2

OOP - $3.24
YTD Savings - $234.34


Totals..

OOP - $9.92
Savings - $554.32

Not too bad for 4 days in huh? :D

CVS and Wags Haul 1/4

I have a bit of OOP, but I really made out! I was also in need of vitamins and the $12 OOP I spent on that got me 260 days worth. I would have had a whole years worth, but they only had 2 packs of regular Centrum. I might return the package of Centrum Silver and get the regular if I can. Anyhow.. on to what I got!

CVS:

3 One Touch Blood Glucose Monitors
5 Kotex Multi-packs
2 Listerine Whitening Pens
2 L'Oreal HIP Eye Shadows
6 Chocolate Skittles
1 6-pack Gold Emblem Flavored Water
4 20oz Cokes
1 Glade Scented Oil Candle Set
1 Teddy Grahams
5 6-packs Slim Fast

Total OOP - $4.00

Wags:

2 130 count Centrum
1 100 count Centrum Silver
2 Soft Soap
4 Glade Oil Scented Candle Refills
1 Garnier Fructis Shine Spray
2 Benefiber 20 serving Powder
2 Glade Candles
2 20ft Reynolds Wrap
1 Freestyle Freedom Lite Blood Glucose Moniter

Total OOP - $13.84

It really would have been more impressive if I had been able to get the 19 bottles of Garnier I was planning on.

Grand total OOP - $17.84

And $1.07 for a small latte from Dunkin Doughnuts while I waited for Wags to open. ;)

I'm going to go to a different Wags later today and try the Garnier again. I didn't spent $9 on news papers yesterday to not get the deal done. ;)

Walgreens and CVS

This weekend will be a good weekend for me. Despite the fact that money is tight for the next week I think I can pull off one crazy haul this weekend for under $20. Maybe I'll pull $20 from the bank, and then after I get my haul I'll use the rest of it to get my boyfriend some Starbucks. Distract him with coffee while I bring in the bags. *rofl*

Shopping Habit Changes

I'll admit it right now...

I'm a label snob.

I will buy the $2 Sara Lee bread over the 88c store brand. I mean there is a noticeable difference in texture, but it's not like I can't just suck it up and save us $1.22 a loaf. There are some things I cannot bring myself to sway on. I must have milk and butter made without rbST. Luckily that is easy to come by. I also get canned veggies that have no added salt. So I do pay a little more for that. I need to change my ways on more things when possible though.

CVS is giving me the ability to cheaply supply my family with almost all the beauty and household supplies we need. I spend a fraction of what I would if I were to purchase everything at Wal-Mart. My CVS spending and news paper purchases will be coming out of my grocery money now, so I need to save where I can.

I went to Wal-Mart this morning and got eggs, bread, hot dog buns,and a pack of turkey hot dogs. I spent under $5. Normally it would have been $2 for eggs, $2 for bread, 88c for buns, and $3.50 for hot dogs. So that was more than $3 I saved right off the bat.

Sales and Store Brands. It will be my new shopping mantra.