CVS and the magic machine of love

Always scan your CVS card at the red machine at the front of the store.  The end.

Yesterday I got an entire ribbon of coupons that I proceeded to wear through the store like a Miss America Sash, because I'm that cool.

It printed a coupon for a FREE carmello candy bar (hello-FREE CHOCOLATE?), a free box of CVS bandaids, $4 off when you buy diapers and wipes, $3 off a $15 grocery purchase and a few others.

The coupons aligned for a delightful shopping trip that finally made me excited.  But no picture because HELLO I was at the pharmacy picking up pain pills for my husband after spending the evening in the ER (flash burn from welding- he's fine).  I was pooped.

Here's what I bought:
2 huggies slip on diapers $8.99 each
1 huggies wipes $2.79
1 cottonelle wipes $1.97 (had a free coupon to redeem)
1 gatorade drink $1 (only had one left- I will look for 4 more at another store to get the $5 ECB's wyb 5)
2 gallons of deans milk $3.19 each
2 special K multi grain crackers 2/$4
2 cheese it white cheddar crackers 2/$4
1 12 pack mt. dew $2.50
1 allergy pills $4.69 (no coupon at all- just needed them)
1 3 musketeer king size (me and emily, naughty girls) $1

My total was over $48!

Coupons:
-$.50 huggies wipes
-$4 machine coupon wyb wipes and diapers
-$3 machine coupon off $15 in groceries
-$1.96 free cottonelle wipes coupon I got in the mail
-$.25 machine coupon off candy bar
-$1 wyb 2 special k crackers
-$3 Huggies $3 coupon
-$3 Huggies coupon again (it was also in the paper last Sunday)
-$2 printable CVS coupon for huggies pull up diapers (no longer available or I'd link it up for you)
-$2 printable CVS coupon again for diapers
-$10 giftcard I got when I filled the pain pill prescription (my CVS honors competitor pharmacy coupons, I got one from Meijer last time I checked out!)

Total was $17.82
I got back a $10 gas card for buying $30 in certain items (diapers, cottonelle, crackers, wipes) and $2 in ECB ($1 for each gallon of milk). 

The diapers will go to a family who could use them at Dan's work, in case you think I've lost my ever loving mind.  It was just too good of a deal to pass up considering I basically got them for FREE with the magic coupon machine coupon!

Marsh Triples Trips

Marsh was offering two days of triple coupons last Friday and Saturday.  Different from the last time they surprised us with this was that it was only for coupons up to $.99.  Same as last time was a limit of two like coupons.

I made three different trips during the two days.  This is a couponers dream after all. 

I couldn't go first thing Friday morning when I got the email- I had a playdate planned that day for Sam and I didn't think it would be fair to drag all the kids to the grocery and pretend it was fun.  So I waited until Dan got home.

By the time I got there, several items I had really good coupons for ($.75 off one- that would triple to $2.25) were wiped out.  To be expected I suppose.  The difference this time was that they didn't seem to restock.  That is mainly the reason I went back a second and third time, hoping some of the gone items would be back on the shelves- no dice.

Regardless- it was still fun.  Not near as impressive as when they tripled the dollar coupons- but still a great savings.

First Trip-
70 Items               $156.03 before coupons               $61.78 after coupons

Second Trip-
27 Items               $52.65 before coupons                 $27.51 after coupons

Third Trip-
10 Items               $22.93 before coupons                 $7.93 after coupons

5 or 6 items were non coupon items that I just needed (eggs, onions, etc.).  These totals include items like lunch meat, frozen pizza items, 12 packs of diet pepsi, cereal bars, cake mixes and icings, canned goods, hand soap...........a good variety of items that I was glad to purchase at 60-70% off. 

I was so excited to see that Marsh was offering such a great coupon sale again.  I thought for sure that the last time would have been just that- the last time.  I can't wait to get another 'surprise' email from them announcing another huge coupon day.............but I'll be better prepared and get there right away I hope!

My work 'cut' out for me

I've been slacking.  Summer has taken a toll on having the time to keep up with my coupons, and when you stack that with camping the last two weekends in a row.......I've ended up with a big mess of coupons and no time to do anything with them.

And then I woke up yesterday morning to an email.  A glorious email that I knew would mean I'd have to work on that stack, and my binder full of expired coupons.  Triple Coupon Day at Marsh- up to $.99 (Fri and Sat- I'll post about my shop later).

 So me, the trash can, and my trusty scissors sat down and got busy.  Two hours later I had all expired coupons out, all current circulars trimmed and filed and I was ready for action.  Two hours to sort and file over three weeks worth of coupons is not wasted time in my opinion.

And there she is, my trusty Wheezer loaded and ready. And to Marsh we went, kidless and nothing but time to peruse the aisles.........ahhhhh.

Not this week I'm afraid

Some weeks it just isn't in the cards for me, and this is one of them.

There were several things I wanted to buy at Walgreens this week- smartrinse kids mouthwash would be free after reward, Keri Lotion is a $1 money maker after reward, Monkey Brains kids hair products are $1 money maker after reward.........but there is not a single product to be found I'm afraid.

Those crazy couponers wiped the shelves clean Sunday morning.  I call them 'those crazy couponers', even though I am one of them.  But I'm not a greedy wipe the shelf clean kind of couponer- that makes me kind of crazy mad.

That is how it is I suppose.  If there is a really good price on something (free is a pretty good price) I know I have to plan to go very early to be able to get it.  And I just didn't this week.

Besides- I have three back to school supply lists that are keeping me hopping, so that is the only real shopping I am focusing on this week.  I did find penny loose leaf paper at Office Max, plus there is a buy 2 sharpie packs get two free promo.  And there were $5 off any three sharpie pack coupons right on the display in the store!  Allyson needed a package of colored sharpies (who are these teachers asking for a $10 set of markers anyway?)  So here's how it worked for me, I bought 4 packs of 10 colored sharpies each- $40.  Two were free -$20.  Used the $5 coupon -$5, total spent was $15 for 4 packages.  I totally know that these will come in HUGE handy for crafting nights and such.  Plus- I used my $10 off a $20 purchase coupon that came in the mail (I had other stuff in my order as well) so I think I got a pretty sweet deal in the end.

I promise to post more again someday.  This week I just have pictures of nothing because I can't find any of it to buy.

Walgreens

I found a display at my Walgreens with this Keri Lotion for $6.99 with a $5 register reward.  I used my $2 coupons and got both of these for nothin'!  Same with the hair barrettes- $2 with a $2 register reward.  Keep in mind I rang two transactions in order to get all of the rewards.

They've also got their Crayola 8 pack of washable markers (regular or fine point) for $2 with a $2 reward.  Plus certain Kelloggs and Keebler items are on sale 4/$10 with a $5 register reward.  This makes cereal, nutrigrain bars, cookies, crackers, etc. just $1.25 each without a single coupon.  If you pair in some coupons it's a good deal.  I just haven't had the time (or the lack of three children) to shop for any of it.  (My shopping trips are fairly limited with my entourage- but when they return to school I'll get back on my game!)

Target- no pictures (use your imagination)

Always Always Always check out target.com for the printable coupons.  Always.  Scroll to the bottom of the webpage and in one of the small lettter columns there is a 'coupons' button.  Click there and make sure there is nothing that works for you before you go shop.  Because these are 'target' coupons, you can use a manufacturer coupon too.  Sometimes I see nothing that works for me.  Sometimes (like this week) I do.  You are allowed to print two of each one.

Yesterday, here are the things I found to be of particular interest:

$3 plus size apparel item coupon- I picked up a couple $2.50 clearanced t-shirts for FREE!
$3 jeans coupon- Ally found a pair of clearance jeans for $9.98- $6.98 (for back to school!)
Buy 3 keebler cookies get 1 free target q- bought 4 packages at $2.29 each, got one free, plus used 2 $1/2 manu q's- total was $5.17 for 4 packages of cookies.
$1 off siera mist- on sale 3/$10 PLUS buy 3 get a free 12 pack of diet pepsi.  Used 3 $1 target q's (used 2 computers to print 4 total) plus a $.75 manu q for the diet pepsi- paid $6.25 for 4 12 packs.  (hello- camping this weekend?)
$1 off 3 crystal lites- paired it with three $1 off 1 manu q's- shelf price was $2.49, paid $3.47 for all three. (I drink ALOT of this stuff).
$1 off 2 Kraft cheese- not on sale or a great deal but it was on my list and I got to save a buck- perfect!

Also- on the back to school coupon magazine I got in the mail this week from Target, there was a spend $50 get a $5 target giftcard.  My total before coupons was over $50 so I got that too.

Yay!

CVS- yay!

Total cash out of pocket- $24.03.

I rang two different transactions so that I could roll the rewards from the first transaction into the second.  I left with $11 leftover rewards for next time and a $10 Shell Gas Card.

I didn't have enough Herbal Essence coupons do to what I originally posted- but I supplemented with the Duracell batteries that were on sale for $5 and I had some $1 coupons for.  I had to get to the $30 to earn the $10 gas card.

Hope your shopping trips are successful this week!

Best deal that I see this week?  Schick razors.  Spend $20 on various Schick stuff get $10 extra bucks.  I bought two razors $8.49 each and two Skintimate Cream Shave on sale for $2.19.  That put me over the $20 ($21.36).  Then I used 1 b1g1 coupon for the razors (-$8.49) and 1 $1 off one razors (-$1, remember, you can use two coupons on buy 1 get 1 offers) and 2 $1.50 printables for the cream shave (-$3).  Total was $9.87 and I got a $10 extra care reward back.  I essentially got totally free shaving stuff. 

I waited until yesterday to try Walgreens (big mistake) so I missed most everything I was wanting.  But there were still tons of Crayola crayons- on sale for $.99 with a $1 register reward (free) and the 8 packs of tampons $1.50 get $1.50 reward.  Also got the Irish Spring deodorant on sale 2/$6- used 2 $1 coupons from Sundays paper and got a $4 register reward (free). May try another store later in the week- I could use some more hair pony tail holders and they were all gone.