Category: Shopping/Saving

I’m a little rusty, but I hit up Rite Aid today.  I also went to Meijer, but it wasn’t a very successful trip, as I had to buy meat and some items so that tonight I could prep a few freezer meals.  I know quite a few people who do freezer cooking and I so want to start, I just can’t seem to get myself motivated to actually do it.  Tonight we have a benefits dinner to go to and then after that I’m hoping to get some gringo chicken and meatballs in the freezer, along with some chicken in bags marinading.

My First transaction-

• Gillette razor – $10.49 (this was supposed to be 9.99 but I wasn’t paying attention!)
• Face wash – $5.49
• (2) body washes – $7.00
• Total = $22.98; minus coupons I paid = $6.38 (with tax)
• I will be getting a check from RA for $5 and received a $4 reward coupon (like 4 cash!), so with this transaction I made $2.52!

Second transaction-

• Bounty paper towel – $11.99
• Listerine – $3.99
• Carefree liners – $0.99
• (2) Pampers wipes – $4.98
• Total = $21.95; minus coupons I paid $6.97 (with tax)
• I will be getting a $3 check from RA and I received a $1 coupon for use on my next transaction, so – $2.97!

I did two runs to Rite Aid-  Transaction:  1) Before coupons my total was just over $25, but after my savings I paid only .17 cents!   2) Before coupons my total was $36, but after savings I paid $5.37 and will be getting a check from Rite Aid for $1!

We also finally put Ajax’s wagon together, which he got for his birthday.  He got such a kick out of it that we had to take it for a test run around the block.  He loved sitting up and being able to look all around.  He waved at every person and dog we passed.

I needed salsa for dinner as I wanted to make the chicken and white bean soup that we all know and love, however, I needed salsa.  My family goes through a ridiculous amount of salsa.  I did a run to Target and here’s what I snagged- my total was almost $40, but I only spent $16.89 and saved $22.12.

It was also a lovely day so we all played outside.  Ajax is getting more comfortable with nature and yes, grass.  Ajax just wants to be outside all the time, I can clearly see our summer plans.

Hello!  I haven’t done a Rite Aid post in a while and just thought that I’d share (it’s not that I haven’t been shopping, I just haven’t really had time to chronicle my coupon adventures lately as we seem to be pretty busy… Ajax is napping right now, so instead of cleaning my house I’m kickin’ it on the couch updating my blog and watching Anthony Bourdain on the travel channel… he’s in Prague… so jealous).

Here’s what I scored!

Transaction #1 – purchased two bottles of Vit. D supplements at 9.99 a piece, out of pocket spent 3.99!

Transaction #2 – purchased two bottles of Energy supplements at 19.99 a piece and one pack of Huggies diapers at 8.99, out of pocket spent .49 cents!  While neither Dave or I use energy supplements, they were free and allowed me to get the diapers for less than .50, basically tax.

So when I came home with 16 boxes of pasta the other night, Dave said – I think we need another shelf for the basement.  We spent a lot of time this past weekend organizing and consolidating, which I’m not going to lie was a ridiculous amount of work, but I’m so proud of what we accomplished.

So I wasn’t out of the coupon game for long and decided to give Target another shot (albeit a different store).  I would like to report that I have redeemed myself.  I was able to proceed with my transaction, though it was still quite the battle.  This time, however, I won… and really that’s what’s important. lol.

I paid $12.35 for over $30 worth of stuff.  And the Puffs ($9.49) I got for free.

Ajax’s first Easter basket, courtesy of Aunt Terri.

You may have noticed that I haven’t had many coupon posts lately.  I’ve been a little busy lately and honestly a little turned off of coupons.  I went to Target and got into a disagreement with not one, not two, not three, but FOUR, yes four store managers.

Now, does anyone remember my previous coupon lesson where I instructed that what a coupon says, what is actually printed on the coupon, trumps what may or may not be pictured on a coupon.  Some coupons don’t even have pictures so there you go.  To keep it short all four managers disagreed on what was PICTURED in the coupon and they decided that the appropriate way to use a coupon was to guess what was pictured on the coupon and try to match it to what I was trying to purchase.  The fourth manager, I’ll call him Mr. Manager, was the final player in this charade and when he stormed over I could tell that the situation wouldn’t end in my favor.

Mr. Manager acted swiftly, made a decision and it didn’t matter what I said.  He acted much to busy and important to hear one customers coupon complaint and yes, he confirmed what that the other three suspected, what was pictured on the coupon is clearly how a coupon should be used.  In this instance the coupon was for a free Puffs.  The picture is nondescript, it could be a single pack of Puffs in cube or oblong, it could have been a three pack.  No one could decide.  In the end I told him that he was wrong and that I would bring my business elsewhere, he shrugged and basically told me tough.

This has actually turned my stomach from Target and couponing for a while.  You know what’s funny?  I had actually used the same coupon twice previously in the same transaction at the same store with no problem.

I did my weekly Rite Aid run today.  My total before coupons was $58.16 and I spent $9.67 out of pocket ($3 of that was tax, darn Michigan 6% sales tax).  However, I will be getting a check from Rite Aid in the amount of $25, so really I just made $15.33.

Also, I seem to be reaching the point where I have too much of one thing.  For example, Dave now has a ridiculous amount of deodorant.   Since I was able to buy deodorant for free today, I have set aside 7 to donate.   Many couponers donate their free or nearly free items, so I’m jumping on the donation bandwagon!