Argh maties- Me first published shopping post- YAY ME!

I don't know why the pirate talk.  Just accept it this time please.

Word on the blog street this week was that the sales were 'eh'.  I disagree.

Although not a huge fabulous sale week- my newspaper had 5, count them FIVE, coupons inserts and I noticed some pretty good deals going on at the drugstores, although the grocery ads were really lackluster.  I just had to head out and see if there was anything left to be purchased.

 Above you will see my CVS purchase (and a paint set, and my youngest hard at work painting a wooden train, several crumbs and a pizza hut to go cup).  Let me break down my spending......
I had it rang up in two transactions so that I could roll one of the extra care bucks into the other.  The cashiers never mind doing this.

1st Transaction:
3 extra gum packs (3 for $2)
2 chocolate oranges (75% off for .87 each- I thought I had a $1 coupon off of two but it was a different brand and I completely blew that- but still bought them because who doesn't LOVE a chocolate orange?)
1 bag christmas m&m's (75% off for .99- not on my shopping list but when I scanned my CVS card at the entry it printed a coupon for $1 off any bag of m&m's- so I couldn't resist, -$1 coupon)
1 excedrin pm $4.99 (-$3.50 coupon)
1 excedrin back and pain $4.79 (-$1 coupon)
1 excedrin migrain $5.29 (-$5.29 free product coupon- these were available to anyone who requested on in December)
1 excedrin extra strength $5.49 (-$5.49 free product coupon)
-$1 extra buck left from last month
-$6.50 extra bucks quarterly earnings for Oct-Dec (printed when I entered the store)

Total after coupons- $2.83
New extra care bucks earned- $1 for gum, $10 for buying $20 in excedrin

2nd Transaction:
2 revlon deluxe nail trimmers $3.29 each
5 Ultra Wisk Laundry Soap (-$10, 5 $2 coupons)
-$1 extra buck from gum
-$10 extra buck from excedrin

Total after coupons- $12.79
New extra care bucks earned- $7 for buying 2 revlon tools and $10 for buying $25 in Wisk

Trip total- spent $15.62 cash out of pocket- still have $17 in extra care bucks left for my next trip.

Not bad if I do say so myself.

And here is my Walgreens purchase- and my crazy Allyson in the back there.  I think I could have worked this out a little smarter than I did- but regardless here is what I bought.

5 Finish Dishwasher soaps- $3.49 each ($17.45) -$11.25 coupons ($5 at $2.25 each)= $6.20 for all 5
Plus I earned 5 $1.50 walgreens cash coupons good on a next purchase.
2 Nivea mens shaving stuff for $3.99 each- no coupons (strange) but I earned 2 $3 coupons for a future purchase.
1 Childrens oscillocosomething or another homeopathic flu stuff $8.99 -$2 coupon- paid $6.99.  Earned a $9 coupon for a future purchase. (strangely enough allyson is home sick with the flu today- kind of glad I have this on hand now)
Splenda $2.99 (no coupons left- bummer) No cash back either.  This is just something I use and needed- so I basically bought the mens shaving stuff and than paid for my splenda with the cash I earned.
 Anywho- I had to ring up the dishsoaps in five transactions because you could only earn the $1.50 coupon one time per transaction.  But no one was in line, so I did it.

Total Spent cash out of pocket $23.55 and left store with $20.50 in walgreens cash good on future purchases.
Too much out of pocket- again I should have planned better but I was worn from the holidays I suppose.
At least I got some cheap dish washing soap?  Plus I have $20.50 to work with next week to roll into whatever walgreens cash deals they offer then.