Man, I've been having so much fun not only shopping the great deals but also blogging about my adventures and here I am on another break. It's for a completely different reason than my recent lags, though.
I made the decision in the past couple weeks that we're scaling down our shopping to grocery deals, immediate needs, and once specific type of item. A few weeks ago I began feeling a bit ill in the mornings, and shortly thereafter we discovered that Andy & I will have an addition to our little family later this year! We're extremely happy and very much looking forward to our little couponer-in-training.
I wasn't prepared for just how much impending motherhood takes out of one's body, though. I'm constantly exhausted, and the thought of getting up early on Sundays and chasing deals hasn't been very fun! In addition, we'll be moving to slightly larger living quarters in coming months; the less of the loot stack we have to tote, the better. And, finally, many of the free items we're able to get with coupons at the drug stores still "cost" us sales tax. I would rather put the $5-10 a week in tax towards diapers or the savings account!
For the short-term, I'll be concentrating our shopping on grocery items and immediate needs (paper towels, garbage bags, that sort of thing) as well as baby items like diapers, wipes, etc.
In the longer-term, the blog will obviously take a bit of a different direction. Our adventures in frugality will take on a whole new dimension with the addition of a baby: finding good stroller deals, homemade baby food vs. prepackaged jars, frugal entertainment, the possibilities are endless!
So, that all said, I'm sorry if my updates aren't as frequent as they have been for right now. I'm still adjusting to everything, but with any luck I'll have the energy and mental acuity to pick up the posting soon. Here's hoping for some great diaper deals in the near future!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Dual Drugstore Deals: $128 for a $3 profit, April spending, and back from a short break
I took a major step back from shopping overall for the month of April - you'll see just how much with the monthly numbers at the end of the post!
There were two major reasons I pulled back.
1. As I mentioned a couple times, we're really very well stocked on the items we use. There have been some good sales over the past couple weeks, but I've been weighing just how good they are a lot more carefully than before. If it's not something that we use frequently, I only want to chase a deal if it's profitable. Have you seen gas prices lately? Ugh.
2. The Extreme Couponing show is having an affect in many areas, mine included. Stock has been an issue and it's getting worse; combined with isolated reports of new couponers trying to use coupons improperly, it was (still is, really) time to lay low a bit.
That said, there were some deals that got me moving this weekend! Let's take a look.
Walgreens - shelf price $70.88
6 Right Guard body wash $4.49ea, BOGO sale, $13.47
6 4pk Noxema disposable razors $3.99ea, $23.94
1 8pk Tuf paper towels $3.99
Subtotal $41.40, less three BOGO Right Guard, less six $2 off Noxema razors
Total $15.93, received back $18 in RRs ($3 for each Noxema razor)
This was a quick, painless trip. I would have liked some more of the razors at a $1 profit each, but stock wasn't great so I didn't overdo it. We'll be stopping back later in the week as Wags has milk cheaper than the grocery store; if they get more razors on this week's truck I'll grab a few more packs.
Some of the razors have a $2 coupon inside the package. I'd like to touch briefly on the proper protocol for this sort of thing. The coupon is inside the package, so only open that package if you're buying the product - I'm hearing of some stores that now can't sell any of their razors because people went before the sale started and tore open the packages to take the coupon. DO NOT DO THIS!! I took the razors up to the counter with everything intact, and before anything happened I explained that I was going to buy one package and then cut it open to get the coupon right there. This way everything is on the proverbial up and up; no one is destroying packages before they're purchased, no one looks "shady" cutting or tearing things up in a corner of the store, and everyone is happy.
Rite Aid - shelf price $57.16
2 Gillette Fusion Proglide razors $9.99ea, $19.98 (LIMIT TWO)
1 Dove for Men deodorant $3.99 (LIMIT ONE)
5 Revlon emery boards $1.49ea, $7.45
3 Revlon tweezers $1.37ea, $4.11
2 16oz bags Red Vines licorice $1.50ea, $3
1 package Easter eggs $.49 (clearance)
Subtotal $39.02, less $5 off Proglide, less $4 off Proglide
Total $30.02, received back $31 in +UPs ($5 for each Proglide, $3 for Dove, $4 for each pair of Revlon (LIMIT FOUR), $1 for each Red Vines)
Revlon beauty tools are on sale for 40% off and you get a $4 +UP back for each two (limit of $16 in +UPs total). If you can find items in stock which are around $3 or less regular price, you wind up with free or profitable beauty tools - the trouble is finding the items in stock, of course! I mostly lucked out, though I had wanted a different type of emery board (the type I actually use). Those had been cleared out before we got to the store by one shopper who, according to the cashier, kept coming back into the store over & over to buy more Revlon. Holy extra Wellness cards.....
Today's trip
For the month of April
See? We barely shopped in April! The biggest expenditures were the perishables - milk, meat & produce.
I'd really like to see some great grocery deals start cropping up soon. That may be wishful thinking, what with prices everywhere going up, but a girl can dream.
There were two major reasons I pulled back.
1. As I mentioned a couple times, we're really very well stocked on the items we use. There have been some good sales over the past couple weeks, but I've been weighing just how good they are a lot more carefully than before. If it's not something that we use frequently, I only want to chase a deal if it's profitable. Have you seen gas prices lately? Ugh.
2. The Extreme Couponing show is having an affect in many areas, mine included. Stock has been an issue and it's getting worse; combined with isolated reports of new couponers trying to use coupons improperly, it was (still is, really) time to lay low a bit.
That said, there were some deals that got me moving this weekend! Let's take a look.
6 Right Guard body wash $4.49ea, BOGO sale, $13.47
6 4pk Noxema disposable razors $3.99ea, $23.94
1 8pk Tuf paper towels $3.99
Subtotal $41.40, less three BOGO Right Guard, less six $2 off Noxema razors
Total $15.93, received back $18 in RRs ($3 for each Noxema razor)
$2.07 profit!!
This was a quick, painless trip. I would have liked some more of the razors at a $1 profit each, but stock wasn't great so I didn't overdo it. We'll be stopping back later in the week as Wags has milk cheaper than the grocery store; if they get more razors on this week's truck I'll grab a few more packs.
Some of the razors have a $2 coupon inside the package. I'd like to touch briefly on the proper protocol for this sort of thing. The coupon is inside the package, so only open that package if you're buying the product - I'm hearing of some stores that now can't sell any of their razors because people went before the sale started and tore open the packages to take the coupon. DO NOT DO THIS!! I took the razors up to the counter with everything intact, and before anything happened I explained that I was going to buy one package and then cut it open to get the coupon right there. This way everything is on the proverbial up and up; no one is destroying packages before they're purchased, no one looks "shady" cutting or tearing things up in a corner of the store, and everyone is happy.
Rite Aid - shelf price $57.16
2 Gillette Fusion Proglide razors $9.99ea, $19.98 (LIMIT TWO)
1 Dove for Men deodorant $3.99 (LIMIT ONE)
5 Revlon emery boards $1.49ea, $7.45
3 Revlon tweezers $1.37ea, $4.11
2 16oz bags Red Vines licorice $1.50ea, $3
1 package Easter eggs $.49 (clearance)
Subtotal $39.02, less $5 off Proglide, less $4 off Proglide
Total $30.02, received back $31 in +UPs ($5 for each Proglide, $3 for Dove, $4 for each pair of Revlon (LIMIT FOUR), $1 for each Red Vines)
$.98 profit!!
Revlon beauty tools are on sale for 40% off and you get a $4 +UP back for each two (limit of $16 in +UPs total). If you can find items in stock which are around $3 or less regular price, you wind up with free or profitable beauty tools - the trouble is finding the items in stock, of course! I mostly lucked out, though I had wanted a different type of emery board (the type I actually use). Those had been cleared out before we got to the store by one shopper who, according to the cashier, kept coming back into the store over & over to buy more Revlon. Holy extra Wellness cards.....
Today's trip
Shelf price $128.04
Total $45.95
Rewards earned $49
$3.05 profit!!
For the month of April
Shelf price $277.44
Total $115.54
Rewards earned $62.98
Out of pocket $52.56
See? We barely shopped in April! The biggest expenditures were the perishables - milk, meat & produce.
I'd really like to see some great grocery deals start cropping up soon. That may be wishful thinking, what with prices everywhere going up, but a girl can dream.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Random updates
I dropped off a big pile of food & personal care items for the food bank this week. It felt really good to hand off so much knowing it's going to help people in our community who are struggling. I've written about it before and I'm sure it's not a surprise to anyone reading that grocery prices are just insane recently. It's hard enough with aggressive coupon use; imagine what these price increases are like on an average family just barely scraping by as it is.
Must. Donate. More.
We're also going to send some more care packages over to the troops soon. The last shipment we sent was well-received so I'll start putting another together.
I'm still struggling to put together my shopping plan for Sunday. One week ago I started the process of eliminating my worst "bad habit" - smoking. It's not easy, but it's going well and I'm doing much better than I'd thought I would. Unfortunately I'm a bit cranky and it's sort of hard to concentrate on a shopping strategy. I want to get in on Rite Aid's cleaning supplies deal but, gah, it seems so complicated right now! LOL.
Ah well. Quitting is more important; if I can't wrap my head around the deals this week it's not the end of the world.
Finally, a brief update on the Extreme Couponing debacle
(I really love that word - debacle!)
comes via Entertainment Weekly:
I have no idea if TLC will actually do anything about it because I'm sure they like all publicity, good or bad, but it's nice to see it addressed.
Must. Donate. More.
We're also going to send some more care packages over to the troops soon. The last shipment we sent was well-received so I'll start putting another together.
 |
| This is a picture of a cake I made so this post isn't a wall of text. |
Ah well. Quitting is more important; if I can't wrap my head around the deals this week it's not the end of the world.
Finally, a brief update on the Extreme Couponing debacle
(I really love that word - debacle!)
comes via Entertainment Weekly:
TLC 'looking into' allegations of coupon fraud on 'Extreme Couponing'
Allegations of “coupon fraud,” or using a coupon to purchase a product that is not listed on the coupon, have been made against J’aime Kirlew, who appeared in an episode of Extreme Couponing last week, by coupon bloggers.
TLC said in an exclusive statement to EW: “We have received a strong response to the premiere and are listening to and reading the various comments around the show — as with all programs, we appreciate the feedback. While the series documents extreme couponing strategies, we take any concerns about specific tactics seriously and are looking into the situation.”
I have no idea if TLC will actually do anything about it because I'm sure they like all publicity, good or bad, but it's nice to see it addressed.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Rite Aid Run - $179 for $13
I'm going to mash two Rite Aid trips together here. We had to roll some expiring +UPs Friday night, and with life and stuff I didn't get a chance to post that trip until now.
Friday's trip - shelf price $40.78:
2 packs 18ct Scunci hair bands $1.99ea, $3.98
8 bags Easter M&Ms $2.44ea, $19.52
1 Reese's peanut butter egg $.88
Subtotal $24.38, less four $1 off 2 M&Ms
Total $20.38, received back $17.98 in +UPs ($10 for spending $20 on Easter candy, four $1 +UPs for buying 2 bags participating candy, $1.99 for each Scunci)
Out of pocket $2.40
Today's trip - shelf price $138.66
8 John Frieda shampoo/conditioner $5ea, $40
3 John Frieda Full Repair stylers $5ea, $15
1 Biore pore strips $7.19
1 Biore cleanser $7.99
1 box 80ct Rite Aid dryer sheets $.99
2 Gillette body wash $2.99ea, $5.98
2 Bic Flex3 3ct razors $4.99ea, $9.98
16 Rite Aid cough drops 9ct $.50ea, $8
Subtotal $95.13, less eight $2 off any John Frieda, less three $2 off JF Full Repair stylers, less $7.99 buy Biore strips get free cleanser, less $2.99 BOGO Gillette body wash, less two $3 Bic razors
Total $56.16, received $45 in +UPs ($10 for each $20 spent on JF/Biore - $30 total; $1 for dryer sheets [LIMIT THREE], $2 for each Gillette [LIMIT TWO], $2 for 2 Bic, $1 for each pair of cough drops)
Out of pocket $11.16
This was a nice little trip today. We don't particularly need any more shampoo or conditioner, but the John Frieda is working out to $.50 per bottle after coupon & +UP. It's normally $8 per bottle, and it's really fantastic quality, so I didn't want to pass up the sale.
The stylers are for my sister and the body wash for my nephew. We're already stocked on cough drops so I'm going to donate these to the food pantry.
I got four surveys on my Rite Aid receipts today - each survey gives you a $3 of $15 purchase coupon when you complete it. Those are going to be nice for some extra savings in the coming weeks!
 |
| not pictured: 2 packs Scunci hair bands |
2 packs 18ct Scunci hair bands $1.99ea, $3.98
8 bags Easter M&Ms $2.44ea, $19.52
1 Reese's peanut butter egg $.88
Subtotal $24.38, less four $1 off 2 M&Ms
Total $20.38, received back $17.98 in +UPs ($10 for spending $20 on Easter candy, four $1 +UPs for buying 2 bags participating candy, $1.99 for each Scunci)
Out of pocket $2.40
Today's trip - shelf price $138.66
8 John Frieda shampoo/conditioner $5ea, $40
3 John Frieda Full Repair stylers $5ea, $15
1 Biore pore strips $7.19
1 Biore cleanser $7.99
1 box 80ct Rite Aid dryer sheets $.99
2 Gillette body wash $2.99ea, $5.98
2 Bic Flex3 3ct razors $4.99ea, $9.98
16 Rite Aid cough drops 9ct $.50ea, $8
Subtotal $95.13, less eight $2 off any John Frieda, less three $2 off JF Full Repair stylers, less $7.99 buy Biore strips get free cleanser, less $2.99 BOGO Gillette body wash, less two $3 Bic razors
Total $56.16, received $45 in +UPs ($10 for each $20 spent on JF/Biore - $30 total; $1 for dryer sheets [LIMIT THREE], $2 for each Gillette [LIMIT TWO], $2 for 2 Bic, $1 for each pair of cough drops)
Out of pocket $11.16
This was a nice little trip today. We don't particularly need any more shampoo or conditioner, but the John Frieda is working out to $.50 per bottle after coupon & +UP. It's normally $8 per bottle, and it's really fantastic quality, so I didn't want to pass up the sale.
The stylers are for my sister and the body wash for my nephew. We're already stocked on cough drops so I'm going to donate these to the food pantry.
I got four surveys on my Rite Aid receipts today - each survey gives you a $3 of $15 purchase coupon when you complete it. Those are going to be nice for some extra savings in the coming weeks!
Friday, April 8, 2011
"Extreme Couponing" - I guess the cat's out of the bag, and it crapped all over the floor
When I posted last night about the issues with TLC's Extreme Couponing, I was intentionally vague. I didn't want to go into too much detail about the apparent coupon fraud that was shown so as not to appear like I was promoting or condoning such behavior. That's not what I'm about, and that's not what this blog is about.
Well, today the lid seems to have been blown off the whole mess. The story of "J'aime" and her nationally-syndicated (apparent) coupon fraud is all over the internets and it's a big 'ol clusterflock. A sixth instance of coupon misuse was picked up that I hadn't noticed, blogs and message boards are exploding with angry couponers, and screengrabs of the show are being shared.
This post is gonna be long.
(note: some links to other sites in this post are currently overwhelmed with traffic and may not load for you right now. If that's happening, try again later.)
Prior to the show being aired, some folks recognized one of the shoppers. Normally that wouldn't be a big deal, but in this case she was recognized due to a bit of a mistake she made in June '10. The first shopper in the first episode, Jaime (I'm not bothering with the apostrophe), got some attention last summer when she posted Youtube videos of a shopping trip she made to Target. Those videos showed her using high-value coupons for Crest Whitestrips, Schick razors and Vaseline Sheer Infusion lotion on Bounty paper towels, Schick shaving cream, regular Vaseline lotion, and other products that the coupons weren't intended to be used on. To make it even worse, she also indicated that she had used some internet printable coupons for Tide on her trip; Proctor & Gamble, the makers of Tide, do not issue any internet printable coupons and it's well known in the coupon community that any PDF coupons for P&G products are counterfeit.
So, that all happened and Jaime posted links to her Youtube videos and her blog online and a bunch of people watched her videos. And they fairly quickly noticed the coupon fraud. The reaction was swift and angry; she was chastised for cheating the system and Jaime very quickly removed the Youtube videos and deleted her channel. She deleted her blog posts discussing the Target trips. She apologized and said that the coupon classes she had taken had told her this was okay to do. The company who offers these coupon classes responded by saying they taught no such technique.
Unfortunately the folks offering these coupon classes are being dragged into this mess again, and as others who have attended the classes have vouched that they don't teach this sort of thing, I'm going to refrain from bringing their name into my post. I don't feel they're to blame one bit.
Jill Cataldo, a fantastic couponer and journalist, has compiled all this information in a blog post as well. She's got photos and everything, so give that post a look for further details.
That's the backstory. Jaime didn't post any further video or blog entries indicating any coupon misuse and the general feeling was that she had simply made a huge mistake, but had stopped with the coupon misuse. The incident was largely forgotten.
When previews for the new season of Extreme Couponing started to air, some folks in the couponing community recognized Jaime. There was obviously some concern that she would be appearing on a TV show about couponing when she had posted videos of herself committing coupon fraud online less than a year earlier. From what I personally saw, the consensus was that everyone hoped she had learned from her mistake and would represent the couponing community well.
Then the show aired.
This was the first thing I noticed:
Jaimie's shopping list.
If you're a casual couponer (or just a friend or family member who reads my blog to be nice!), it doesn't make much sense. What's with the numbers in the second column, right?
If you're a more fanatic couponer, you probably recognize those numbers, and hopefully you were just as shocked as I was when you saw them.
(post continued below jump)
Well, today the lid seems to have been blown off the whole mess. The story of "J'aime" and her nationally-syndicated (apparent) coupon fraud is all over the internets and it's a big 'ol clusterflock. A sixth instance of coupon misuse was picked up that I hadn't noticed, blogs and message boards are exploding with angry couponers, and screengrabs of the show are being shared.
This post is gonna be long.
(note: some links to other sites in this post are currently overwhelmed with traffic and may not load for you right now. If that's happening, try again later.)
Prior to the show being aired, some folks recognized one of the shoppers. Normally that wouldn't be a big deal, but in this case she was recognized due to a bit of a mistake she made in June '10. The first shopper in the first episode, Jaime (I'm not bothering with the apostrophe), got some attention last summer when she posted Youtube videos of a shopping trip she made to Target. Those videos showed her using high-value coupons for Crest Whitestrips, Schick razors and Vaseline Sheer Infusion lotion on Bounty paper towels, Schick shaving cream, regular Vaseline lotion, and other products that the coupons weren't intended to be used on. To make it even worse, she also indicated that she had used some internet printable coupons for Tide on her trip; Proctor & Gamble, the makers of Tide, do not issue any internet printable coupons and it's well known in the coupon community that any PDF coupons for P&G products are counterfeit.
So, that all happened and Jaime posted links to her Youtube videos and her blog online and a bunch of people watched her videos. And they fairly quickly noticed the coupon fraud. The reaction was swift and angry; she was chastised for cheating the system and Jaime very quickly removed the Youtube videos and deleted her channel. She deleted her blog posts discussing the Target trips. She apologized and said that the coupon classes she had taken had told her this was okay to do. The company who offers these coupon classes responded by saying they taught no such technique.
Unfortunately the folks offering these coupon classes are being dragged into this mess again, and as others who have attended the classes have vouched that they don't teach this sort of thing, I'm going to refrain from bringing their name into my post. I don't feel they're to blame one bit.
Jill Cataldo, a fantastic couponer and journalist, has compiled all this information in a blog post as well. She's got photos and everything, so give that post a look for further details.
That's the backstory. Jaime didn't post any further video or blog entries indicating any coupon misuse and the general feeling was that she had simply made a huge mistake, but had stopped with the coupon misuse. The incident was largely forgotten.
When previews for the new season of Extreme Couponing started to air, some folks in the couponing community recognized Jaime. There was obviously some concern that she would be appearing on a TV show about couponing when she had posted videos of herself committing coupon fraud online less than a year earlier. From what I personally saw, the consensus was that everyone hoped she had learned from her mistake and would represent the couponing community well.
Then the show aired.
This was the first thing I noticed:
 |
| Hat-tip alanisrox69 for the high quality screen grab |
If you're a casual couponer (or just a friend or family member who reads my blog to be nice!), it doesn't make much sense. What's with the numbers in the second column, right?
If you're a more fanatic couponer, you probably recognize those numbers, and hopefully you were just as shocked as I was when you saw them.
(post continued below jump)
TLC's "Extreme Couponing" - Here we go again
These last few days I've had a whole lot of friends, family & acquaintances contact me about "that coupon show on TLC." I posted a blog about the pilot episode, discussing how it's unrealistic and not a good overall view of couponers.
So now it's a series and episodes 1 & 2 of the first official season aired last night. We don't have cable so I wasn't able to watch it until this evening, but I'd heard some reactions and I figured I knew what I was going to see once I sat down to view the episodes.
Oh for....
*sigh*
The first thing that jumped out at me were FOUR obvious instances of improper coupon use.
Shelf clearing. Blatant shelf clearing.
Store coupon policies being completely ignored.
I giggled at paying for Maalox. Paying for Maalox is not being an "Extreme Couponer." I don't consider myself an extreme couponer, and even I know you don't have to pay for Maalox.
So let me start with the most important issue with last night's show - proper coupon usage.
As I mentioned, there were four instances that I could immediately see where coupons were used on the wrong product - either the wrong size item, or a completely different product. If you have a coupon for $1 off a 2lb bag of cheese, you can't use it on an 8oz bag of cheese. If you have a coupon for $2 off a box of Cheerios, you can't use it on Golden Grahams. On the season premiere, I spotted a wrong size misuse and three wrong product misuses. That's inexcusable, and it was completely deliberate. Sure, people make mistakes, but if you're at the level where you're using 50 coupons to buy 50 items while appearing on a TV show about couponing, you know damn well to make sure you're buying the correct size and, really, the correct product.
Once you get into the rhythm of couponing, you start to get a feel for which coupons are out there. While watching the show, my brain (and I'm not the only one who noticed, either) went, "Hm, wait, there aren't any current coupons out there for *product*." A quick glance at one of the myriad coupon databases available online confirms that there are not coupons for *Product X* but there are coupons for *More Expensive Product Y* - well, it was Product X that was purchased on the show using Product Y coupons three times that I could see in one viewing. There may well be more examples.
See, here's the deal. Manufacturers issue coupons for a specific amount for specific products. They have a whole system worked out; it's a marketing thing, which I've discussed a couple times before on the blog here. Manufacturers don't want you to use a $5 off hair color coupon on shampoo, or a $5 off anti-aging cream coupon for regular body lotion. If a store accepts 100 coupons for $5 off hair color but they only sell 10 hair colors, that will get noticed in a periodic audit. If and when the manufacturer notices that the store didn't sell 100 hair colors, the store won't get reimbursed for that $500 in coupons. If you were the one who used those 100 coupons on the wrong product, you'd best believe the store manager will remember you and they likely won't be willing to allow you in the store anymore.
Furthermore, it's against the law to fraudulently use coupons to obtain goods. That's theft. Stealing. People do go to jail (PDF link) for it, and face hefty fines.
Store coupon policies
This is another huge issue with the season premiere of Extreme Couponing. If you're a new couponer wanting to learn the ropes and figure out how to save money after watching the show, my biggest piece of advice is to NOT do what was shown.
If your local store limits you to one "$10 off a $50 purchase" promotion, they will not let you stand at the register for five hours while you phone a friend (or 10) to come down to the store and stand there while you ring out the rest of your transactions. It won't happen. It will not happen unless you're toting a national network camera crew. If your store only doubles 12 identical coupons per day (as mine does), you won't be able to bring a gaggle of girlfriends to pretend *wink*wink* each has their own separate transaction while you pay for everything. You'll be asked to leave the store, and stores can ask you never to return.
I can't stress this enough. Know your store's coupon policies and follow them.
Stockpiling
I talked about this in the earlier post, but it's due another mention.
If it was a terrible day when you had to put shelving up in your bedroom to hold your stockpile, you're doing it wrong. You've got too much shit. You need to ease up if it's taking over your living space.
A decent stockpile is not only a good idea, it's essential for truly "extreme" couponers. Sales are cyclical. Ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, and other condiments, as an example, always go on deep discount just as summer is starting. That's a good time to get enough free or nearly free ketchup to last you 3 or 6 months until it goes on sale again. Sunscreen goes on sale around the same time; get as much as you'll need for the whole summer so you don't have to pay full price in September.
The most important thing, though, is to know your limits. Know how much product you and your family use. Know how much space you have to store items. Know where to take your overflow before you have overflow.
Andy and I live in a fairly small, 1 bedroom apartment. I know we have a very large linen closet, which is where all our health & beauty items go. I know we have a large closet in the bedroom, one corner of which holds TP & paper towels. I know we have a small pantry and decent cabinet space for food. I also know we have an otherwise unused corner that I added a shelving unit to for more food storage, and there's room for one more shelving unit if we so decide to add more storage space. That's our limit. When those spaces start filling up, I start pruning items for donation. There's a neighborhood food pantry that takes household goods as well as food. There's a battered women's shelter that loves anything from food to cosmetics. I have neighbors who are always happy to take an extra tube of toothpaste or bottle of Advil. Our local grocery store has Harvest for Hunger donation bins set up in all their stores; I have several bags of excess items ready to be dropped off on our next shopping trip.
If you want to go extreme with the whole couponing thing, you also have to know when to stop.
So now it's a series and episodes 1 & 2 of the first official season aired last night. We don't have cable so I wasn't able to watch it until this evening, but I'd heard some reactions and I figured I knew what I was going to see once I sat down to view the episodes.
 |
| My reaction, above. |
*sigh*
The first thing that jumped out at me were FOUR obvious instances of improper coupon use.
Shelf clearing. Blatant shelf clearing.
Store coupon policies being completely ignored.
I giggled at paying for Maalox. Paying for Maalox is not being an "Extreme Couponer." I don't consider myself an extreme couponer, and even I know you don't have to pay for Maalox.
So let me start with the most important issue with last night's show - proper coupon usage.
As I mentioned, there were four instances that I could immediately see where coupons were used on the wrong product - either the wrong size item, or a completely different product. If you have a coupon for $1 off a 2lb bag of cheese, you can't use it on an 8oz bag of cheese. If you have a coupon for $2 off a box of Cheerios, you can't use it on Golden Grahams. On the season premiere, I spotted a wrong size misuse and three wrong product misuses. That's inexcusable, and it was completely deliberate. Sure, people make mistakes, but if you're at the level where you're using 50 coupons to buy 50 items while appearing on a TV show about couponing, you know damn well to make sure you're buying the correct size and, really, the correct product.
Once you get into the rhythm of couponing, you start to get a feel for which coupons are out there. While watching the show, my brain (and I'm not the only one who noticed, either) went, "Hm, wait, there aren't any current coupons out there for *product*." A quick glance at one of the myriad coupon databases available online confirms that there are not coupons for *Product X* but there are coupons for *More Expensive Product Y* - well, it was Product X that was purchased on the show using Product Y coupons three times that I could see in one viewing. There may well be more examples.
See, here's the deal. Manufacturers issue coupons for a specific amount for specific products. They have a whole system worked out; it's a marketing thing, which I've discussed a couple times before on the blog here. Manufacturers don't want you to use a $5 off hair color coupon on shampoo, or a $5 off anti-aging cream coupon for regular body lotion. If a store accepts 100 coupons for $5 off hair color but they only sell 10 hair colors, that will get noticed in a periodic audit. If and when the manufacturer notices that the store didn't sell 100 hair colors, the store won't get reimbursed for that $500 in coupons. If you were the one who used those 100 coupons on the wrong product, you'd best believe the store manager will remember you and they likely won't be willing to allow you in the store anymore.
Furthermore, it's against the law to fraudulently use coupons to obtain goods. That's theft. Stealing. People do go to jail (PDF link) for it, and face hefty fines.
Store coupon policies
This is another huge issue with the season premiere of Extreme Couponing. If you're a new couponer wanting to learn the ropes and figure out how to save money after watching the show, my biggest piece of advice is to NOT do what was shown.
If your local store limits you to one "$10 off a $50 purchase" promotion, they will not let you stand at the register for five hours while you phone a friend (or 10) to come down to the store and stand there while you ring out the rest of your transactions. It won't happen. It will not happen unless you're toting a national network camera crew. If your store only doubles 12 identical coupons per day (as mine does), you won't be able to bring a gaggle of girlfriends to pretend *wink*wink* each has their own separate transaction while you pay for everything. You'll be asked to leave the store, and stores can ask you never to return.
I can't stress this enough. Know your store's coupon policies and follow them.
Stockpiling
I talked about this in the earlier post, but it's due another mention.
If it was a terrible day when you had to put shelving up in your bedroom to hold your stockpile, you're doing it wrong. You've got too much shit. You need to ease up if it's taking over your living space.
A decent stockpile is not only a good idea, it's essential for truly "extreme" couponers. Sales are cyclical. Ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, and other condiments, as an example, always go on deep discount just as summer is starting. That's a good time to get enough free or nearly free ketchup to last you 3 or 6 months until it goes on sale again. Sunscreen goes on sale around the same time; get as much as you'll need for the whole summer so you don't have to pay full price in September.
The most important thing, though, is to know your limits. Know how much product you and your family use. Know how much space you have to store items. Know where to take your overflow before you have overflow.
Andy and I live in a fairly small, 1 bedroom apartment. I know we have a very large linen closet, which is where all our health & beauty items go. I know we have a large closet in the bedroom, one corner of which holds TP & paper towels. I know we have a small pantry and decent cabinet space for food. I also know we have an otherwise unused corner that I added a shelving unit to for more food storage, and there's room for one more shelving unit if we so decide to add more storage space. That's our limit. When those spaces start filling up, I start pruning items for donation. There's a neighborhood food pantry that takes household goods as well as food. There's a battered women's shelter that loves anything from food to cosmetics. I have neighbors who are always happy to take an extra tube of toothpaste or bottle of Advil. Our local grocery store has Harvest for Hunger donation bins set up in all their stores; I have several bags of excess items ready to be dropped off on our next shopping trip.
If you want to go extreme with the whole couponing thing, you also have to know when to stop.
Monday, April 4, 2011
A weekend off, and March monthly spending
I do have to hit both stores by Saturday to roll some expiring rewards which shouldn't be too difficult.
We shopped big in March, and that's brought me to a bit of an impasse. My goal when starting down the path of extreme frugality was to get by on less; it's in the title of my blog, for Pete's sake. While I've certainly succeeded in living well on drastically less money, I don't have less "stuff." As a matter of fact, we have more "stuff" now than we ever have.
I'm not complaining. I really enjoy having a supply of free shampoo, or stacks of free pasta, or pounds & pounds of free coffee. It's just...we're running out of space. Our food storage is fine, but the various health & beauty stuff is multiplying when I'm not looking and, while it's contained fairly neatly in its assigned shelving area, there isn't much room for more.
It's time that I get a lot more picky about shopping, at least for now. That's my goal, at least, and I may not succeed at it because who could pass up getting paid to go shopping? We'll see how that goes.... ;)
March Monthly Spending:
Shelf price: $1,340.68
Total: $519.65
Rewards earned: $461.47
Out of pocket: $56.18, for a savings of $1,282.50 or 96%!!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Rite Aid Run - $53 for $3
After last week's whirlwind, I'm glad it was a slow week! Now, what to do with 36 packs of gum....?
Rite Aid - shelf price $52.82
36 packs Trident Vitality gum - $1.29ea, BOGO sale $23.22
2 Scunci 6pk girls' hair bands - $1.97ea (with 10% discount), $3.94
1 Johnson & Johnson cotton swabs - $.99 (raincheck)
2 kitchen tools - $.90ea (with 10% discount), $1.80
Subtotal $29.95, less 18 BOGO Vitality coupons
Total $6.73, received back $4 +UPs ($2ea for Scunci hair bands)
Out of pocket $2.73
As always, you can use a BOGO coupon on a BOGO sale at Rite Aid to get both items for free! I had more coupons but wound up giving a few to my favorite cashier so she could get some gum as well.
These kitchen tools are new at my Rite Aid. They're a buck each normal price, $.90 with my 10% discount, and they seem like okay quality so we figured we'd give them a try. We needed an extra slotted spoon, and I always need more rubber spatulas!
Saturday I made one last run to Walgreens with my mom to get just a little more Almay makeup, and I also had to stop at Rite Aid to spend $17 in expiring +UPs.
At Walgreens (shelf price $53.93) we made a profit of $13.17 on 7 more Almay products.
At Rite Aid (shelf price $78.67) I spent $19.05 on some free after rebate Revlon emery boards, free after coupon/+UPs/rebate Lysol disinfecting wipes, a clearanced teapot shaped like a cupcake, a clearanced humungous 20oz coffee mug, and a clearanced heater marked down to $9.99 from $39.99! I also finished my raincheck on Desitin ($.99ea) and got a couple packages of cotton swabs on raincheck.
We've got one more trip to the grocery store to take advantage of a couple sales before the end of the month, so I'll post our monthly spending later this week. As long as we don't totally blow it at Giant Eagle, March is shaping up to be one of our best months of savings so far!!
36 packs Trident Vitality gum - $1.29ea, BOGO sale $23.22
2 Scunci 6pk girls' hair bands - $1.97ea (with 10% discount), $3.94
1 Johnson & Johnson cotton swabs - $.99 (raincheck)
2 kitchen tools - $.90ea (with 10% discount), $1.80
Subtotal $29.95, less 18 BOGO Vitality coupons
Total $6.73, received back $4 +UPs ($2ea for Scunci hair bands)
Out of pocket $2.73
As always, you can use a BOGO coupon on a BOGO sale at Rite Aid to get both items for free! I had more coupons but wound up giving a few to my favorite cashier so she could get some gum as well.
These kitchen tools are new at my Rite Aid. They're a buck each normal price, $.90 with my 10% discount, and they seem like okay quality so we figured we'd give them a try. We needed an extra slotted spoon, and I always need more rubber spatulas!
Saturday I made one last run to Walgreens with my mom to get just a little more Almay makeup, and I also had to stop at Rite Aid to spend $17 in expiring +UPs.
At Walgreens (shelf price $53.93) we made a profit of $13.17 on 7 more Almay products.
At Rite Aid (shelf price $78.67) I spent $19.05 on some free after rebate Revlon emery boards, free after coupon/+UPs/rebate Lysol disinfecting wipes, a clearanced teapot shaped like a cupcake, a clearanced humungous 20oz coffee mug, and a clearanced heater marked down to $9.99 from $39.99! I also finished my raincheck on Desitin ($.99ea) and got a couple packages of cotton swabs on raincheck.
We've got one more trip to the grocery store to take advantage of a couple sales before the end of the month, so I'll post our monthly spending later this week. As long as we don't totally blow it at Giant Eagle, March is shaping up to be one of our best months of savings so far!!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Dual Drugstore Deals: $666 for a $45 profit!
This is me being exhausted and overwhelmed.
Three stores today to get everything.
First, Rite Aid coffee that my mom found at 2 stores for me.
Shelf price $74.85 for 15
After raincheck, sale & coupon it was $3.
Yes, $3.
Nine were on raincheck for $1.99 with a $2 coupon (adjusted to $1.99)
Six more were on sale this week for $2.50ea with a $2 coupon.
But Walgreens is where the insanity was. Now I was able to get all my Walgreens done at one store which was stocked to the gills. It was insane. My mom and sister, on the other hand, hit 3 or 4 stores today . Almay makeup is free at the very least, profitable if you have the right coupons. They both prefer the Almay brand so they went on a big ol' hunt to stock up.
Just my items alone have a shelf price of $591.24
There's no way I can break this down into detailed transactions (I'll show you why in a minute) so here's a rundown of the deals.
Tena pads - $9.99ea with a $10 reward back, I had coupons for $2.50 off each.
Celadrin joint health 60ct is $10 with a $10 reward back.
Method hand soap is $2.99 with a $2 reward back.
I started by buying a Celadrin for $10 and using a $10 reward from last week's Excedrin deal to pay.
Then I got a Tena and a Method for $12.98, used a $2.50 Tena coupon, paid with the $10 reward from Celadrin for a total of $.48, and received another $10 reward back for the Tena and a $2 reward for the Method.
Then I bought another Celadrin with the Tena $10 reward.
Rinse and repeat.
Then there was the Almay. All Almay is 30% off, and you receive a $5 reward back for each item. There are also $2 Almay coupons available, and there's a $2 Almay store coupon in the new Spring Beauty book. Remember, at Walgreens you can use a manufacturer's coupon (from the newspaper) and a store coupon on the same item.
If an item is normally $7.99, it's $5.59 with the 30% off sale. Use a $2 manufacturer's coupon and a $2 store coupon and your total is $1.59, and you get a $5 reward back. Even if you run out of manufacturer's coupons (which I did), you still turn profit using just the store coupon.
I got an ungodly amount of makeup. Depending on the product, I used either the Plackers 90ct flossers ($2 with a $2 reward back) or various candy and one pair of socks as fillers.
In the end, my overall total was $296.96 (paid in RRs) and I received back $345 in rewards for a profit of $48.04.
Remember, at Walgreens you can only get one Register Reward per item per transaction. All that Almay had to be purchased one individual item at a time.
See? Those are my receipts from today. There's no way I'm gonna type all that up into individual transactions, sorry!
We could have kept going. There was so much Almay it wasn't even funny, but we'd been checking out for quite a bit of time and we'd run out of manufacturer's coupons. We were only breaking even on the Almay items when you factor in fillers & tax so we just called it a day.
Our cashier was ecstatic at all the makeup. They're getting a bonus commission at the beauty counter for each Almay they sell, so in addition to all the shit I got paid to take today, the cashier is taking home an extra $50 or so in commissions just from our haul.
Subtotal $.08. Hell yeah.
Three stores today to get everything.
Shelf price $74.85 for 15
After raincheck, sale & coupon it was $3.
Yes, $3.
Nine were on raincheck for $1.99 with a $2 coupon (adjusted to $1.99)
Six more were on sale this week for $2.50ea with a $2 coupon.
But Walgreens is where the insanity was. Now I was able to get all my Walgreens done at one store which was stocked to the gills. It was insane. My mom and sister, on the other hand, hit 3 or 4 stores today . Almay makeup is free at the very least, profitable if you have the right coupons. They both prefer the Almay brand so they went on a big ol' hunt to stock up.
Just my items alone have a shelf price of $591.24
Tena pads - $9.99ea with a $10 reward back, I had coupons for $2.50 off each.
Celadrin joint health 60ct is $10 with a $10 reward back.
Method hand soap is $2.99 with a $2 reward back.
I started by buying a Celadrin for $10 and using a $10 reward from last week's Excedrin deal to pay.
Then I got a Tena and a Method for $12.98, used a $2.50 Tena coupon, paid with the $10 reward from Celadrin for a total of $.48, and received another $10 reward back for the Tena and a $2 reward for the Method.
Then I bought another Celadrin with the Tena $10 reward.
Rinse and repeat.
Then there was the Almay. All Almay is 30% off, and you receive a $5 reward back for each item. There are also $2 Almay coupons available, and there's a $2 Almay store coupon in the new Spring Beauty book. Remember, at Walgreens you can use a manufacturer's coupon (from the newspaper) and a store coupon on the same item.
If an item is normally $7.99, it's $5.59 with the 30% off sale. Use a $2 manufacturer's coupon and a $2 store coupon and your total is $1.59, and you get a $5 reward back. Even if you run out of manufacturer's coupons (which I did), you still turn profit using just the store coupon.
I got an ungodly amount of makeup. Depending on the product, I used either the Plackers 90ct flossers ($2 with a $2 reward back) or various candy and one pair of socks as fillers.
In the end, my overall total was $296.96 (paid in RRs) and I received back $345 in rewards for a profit of $48.04.
Remember, at Walgreens you can only get one Register Reward per item per transaction. All that Almay had to be purchased one individual item at a time.
We could have kept going. There was so much Almay it wasn't even funny, but we'd been checking out for quite a bit of time and we'd run out of manufacturer's coupons. We were only breaking even on the Almay items when you factor in fillers & tax so we just called it a day.
Our cashier was ecstatic at all the makeup. They're getting a bonus commission at the beauty counter for each Almay they sell, so in addition to all the shit I got paid to take today, the cashier is taking home an extra $50 or so in commissions just from our haul.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Review: Maybelline Super Stay 24 lip color
Lipstick has always been my biggest annoyance. I love a pretty lip color, but I just don't like eating dinner and finding a red-streaked fork or a pink-ringed glass. I don't want to eat my makeup. With that in mind, I've since tended towards various subtle shades of lip gloss that can be easily wiped away and just as easily reapplied. It's easier that way.
Maybelline asked me to try their new Super Stay 24 lip color and, when I agreed, they sent me several tubes in varying shades. The literature included promised a lip color that stays in place for 24 hours, and I could only shake my head; I'd never heard of any lipstick that really stayed in place without being all gross. I'm a trooper, though, so after reading over the materials I pulled out the tube of Everlasting Wine and decided to give this stuff a real workout.
10:30am: Apply lip color carefully. It's more like a gloss in consistency at first, but dries quickly. Apply the included lip balm.
10:35am: Notice that my chosen lip color clashes horribly with my red pajamas. Rather than start my experiment over, decide to live with my fashion faux pas.
10:40am: Start in on a big ol' cup of coffee in a bone-colored mug. No lip prints left on the mug.
11:45am: Finish third cup of coffee. Still no lip prints. A quick check in the mirror shows this stuff has lasted an hour through three cups of coffee with no change in appearance.
12:30pm: Sit down with a tuna salad sandwich on wheat. Surely bread and tuna salad will smudge this stuff, right? I eat as messily as possible.
12:45pm: The Maybelline is still in place. The sandwich didn't make a dent.
3:15pm: Andy gets home from work and gives me a weird look. "Are...are you wearing lipstick?" he asks. I make kissy faces at him and, after he returns from racing away in terror at the prospect of lipstick prints, I explain the experiment. He continues to look at me oddly.
4pm: Eat a handful of potato chips, drink some Diet Coke. Nearly six hours and it still looks like I've just applied lipstick a moment earlier. Reapply lip balm.
6:30pm: Finish eating pasta for dinner, plenty of slurping. The lip color is still unchanged from 10:30am. Read literature more closely to determine how to remove the cosmetic and discover it calls for an oil-based makeup remover.
6:45pm: I have no makeup remover. Idly wonder if I'll be wearing permanent lip color, then shrug and drink a mug of milk. Milk tastes better from a coffee mug, and the Maybelline stays in place.
8:30pm: After running several loads of laundry, take a break for a phone call with Mom. Tell her about my experiment, and she can't stop laughing at me for wearing lipstick while doing laundry. Andy continues to look at me oddly.
9pm: Kiss Andy goodnight. He instinctively wipes at his face to remove the lipstick prints that aren't there. It's been nearly 12 hours and this stuff really is staying in place through everything.
10:30pm: Mirror check, reapply lip balm. It looks like I've just freshly applied lipstick. Acknowledge that I'll probably be wearing this to bed and make a halfhearted plan to go out for makeup remover the next day.
Midnight: Finish showering. The lip color easily washed off with regular soap & water. Go to bed suitably impressed.
So, after nearly 14 hours of wear, the Maybelline Super Stay 24 did exactly what it promised to do. It stayed on through hot drinks, cold drinks, a sandwich, pasta, a kiss (or three), everyday activities, and more than a few curious swipes with my fingers to see how well it stayed in place. Not only did it stay on, but when I was ready to remove the lip color it washed off without any extra product necessary.
While I won't wear lipstick every day - it's not necessary if I'm just kicking around the house, and it's not sanitary (in my mind) to wear it in the kitchen - I think I'll be wearing it more often than before as long as it's this brand. Maybelline, you've swayed me with the Super Stay 24 line!
note: I was provided with several tubes of Maybelline Super Stay 24 to facilitate this review. I received no other compensation. My opinions are my own.
Green Giant giveaway winner!
Congrats to poster #6 - Sandy C.!!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Walgreens run: $82 for $5
This is the first week in 4 or 5 months that I didn't go to Rite Aid. I feel a little empty today! ;)
My +UPs are good for another week and after the tuna debacle, there wasn't a damn thing on sale that I wanted to get. Not every sale is great, so I skipped it.
I did, however, have $18 in Walgreens RRs that expired today, so I had to use 'em or lose 'em. Though I wasn't particularly excited about the deals at first, things actually wound up working better than I'd thought.
Don't forget - you have until Tuesday to enter the Green Giant giveaway! I'll pick a winner late in the evening.
Walgreens - shelf price $82.13
4 Right Guard body wash/shampoo - $4.99ea, BOGO sale, $9.98
2 Purex Complete Crystals - $4.99ea, $9.98
2 Dial Nutriskin lotion - $4.99ea, $9.98
4 Excedrin PM - $5.99ea, BOGO50%, $17.98
4 Dove ice cream bars - $.50ea, $2 (clearance)
1 carton Walgreens rainbow sherbet $.82 (clearance)
Subtotal $50.74, less two BOGO Right Guard, less two $2 Purex, less two $1 Dial, less four $2.50 Excedrin PM
Total $24.76, received back $20 in RRs ($10 for spending $20 on Excedrin, $2 ea for Purex, $3ea for Dial)
Out of pocket $4.76
Check out the frozen foods case at your Walgreens. Many random items are clearanced to 75% off which makes for some really nice deals. My store hadn't tagged anything yet, but I'd not only read about the clearance on other blogs, but my mom had gone a bit earlier and had found her store tagged nicely. I called her from the store and cross-checked what she'd found clearanced; the only things that matched between our respective stores were the Dove bars and the sherbet. I price checked a couple items but, being frozen food, I didn't want to be hauling stuff in and out of the cases just for a price check. I'll head back a little later in the week and see if they've put the clearance tags in their place. Mom found a ton of stuff and picked me up some Hagen Daas mango sherbet ($1ish) and some Banquet pot pies ($.25ea) for Andy.
Another great deal at Walgreens this week is an in-ad coupon for $20 off the Entertainment Book. These are $35 normal price here, so $15 after the coupon. The books contain coupons for all sorts of local businesses as well as national companies like Wendy's, Burger King, car rental companies, hotels, and so on. At $15, I can use the "buy one large pizza, get one free" coupon at a local pizza shop we love and the book has paid for itself! These are very much worth the money, especially at the sale price this week. My store was (gasp!) out of the damned things, of course. Mom is going to grab me one while she's running some errands later
More free Right Guard wash/shampoo! My older nephew loves this stuff so those are for him. The Dial lotion is for my mom; $.99ea after coupon & RR is a great price for these huge bottles, and it's a dang effective lotion that she happens to really like. The new Purex stuff has been on sale everywhere and I've been hearing good things about it, so I figured I'd pick some up while it's $.99ea after coupon & RR.
And the Excedrin...this is a hit or miss deal. If you buy $20 worth, you get a $10 reward back. I have a stack of $2.50 off coupons. The price on the 24ct bottles seems to vary from $4.79-5.99 from store to store, and in some stores they're included in the "buy one, get one 50% off sale." At my store it was $5.99 and it was indeed ringing up BOGO50%. Four of the bottles came to $17.98 ($23.96 before sale), I used $10 in coupons to make them $7.98, and I got the $10 reward back - $2.02 profit. The prices and the inclusion in the sale may be different at your store, so have a backup plan. Yes, two of my Excedrin boxes are torn open; I had started to combine them so they take up less space before realizing I hadn't taken a photo yet!
My +UPs are good for another week and after the tuna debacle, there wasn't a damn thing on sale that I wanted to get. Not every sale is great, so I skipped it.
I did, however, have $18 in Walgreens RRs that expired today, so I had to use 'em or lose 'em. Though I wasn't particularly excited about the deals at first, things actually wound up working better than I'd thought.
Don't forget - you have until Tuesday to enter the Green Giant giveaway! I'll pick a winner late in the evening.
 |
| not pictured: 3 more Dove ice cream bars, 1 carton Walgreens rainbow sherbet |
Walgreens - shelf price $82.13
4 Right Guard body wash/shampoo - $4.99ea, BOGO sale, $9.98
2 Purex Complete Crystals - $4.99ea, $9.98
2 Dial Nutriskin lotion - $4.99ea, $9.98
4 Excedrin PM - $5.99ea, BOGO50%, $17.98
4 Dove ice cream bars - $.50ea, $2 (clearance)
1 carton Walgreens rainbow sherbet $.82 (clearance)
Subtotal $50.74, less two BOGO Right Guard, less two $2 Purex, less two $1 Dial, less four $2.50 Excedrin PM
Total $24.76, received back $20 in RRs ($10 for spending $20 on Excedrin, $2 ea for Purex, $3ea for Dial)
Out of pocket $4.76
Check out the frozen foods case at your Walgreens. Many random items are clearanced to 75% off which makes for some really nice deals. My store hadn't tagged anything yet, but I'd not only read about the clearance on other blogs, but my mom had gone a bit earlier and had found her store tagged nicely. I called her from the store and cross-checked what she'd found clearanced; the only things that matched between our respective stores were the Dove bars and the sherbet. I price checked a couple items but, being frozen food, I didn't want to be hauling stuff in and out of the cases just for a price check. I'll head back a little later in the week and see if they've put the clearance tags in their place. Mom found a ton of stuff and picked me up some Hagen Daas mango sherbet ($1ish) and some Banquet pot pies ($.25ea) for Andy.
Another great deal at Walgreens this week is an in-ad coupon for $20 off the Entertainment Book. These are $35 normal price here, so $15 after the coupon. The books contain coupons for all sorts of local businesses as well as national companies like Wendy's, Burger King, car rental companies, hotels, and so on. At $15, I can use the "buy one large pizza, get one free" coupon at a local pizza shop we love and the book has paid for itself! These are very much worth the money, especially at the sale price this week. My store was (gasp!) out of the damned things, of course. Mom is going to grab me one while she's running some errands later
More free Right Guard wash/shampoo! My older nephew loves this stuff so those are for him. The Dial lotion is for my mom; $.99ea after coupon & RR is a great price for these huge bottles, and it's a dang effective lotion that she happens to really like. The new Purex stuff has been on sale everywhere and I've been hearing good things about it, so I figured I'd pick some up while it's $.99ea after coupon & RR.
And the Excedrin...this is a hit or miss deal. If you buy $20 worth, you get a $10 reward back. I have a stack of $2.50 off coupons. The price on the 24ct bottles seems to vary from $4.79-5.99 from store to store, and in some stores they're included in the "buy one, get one 50% off sale." At my store it was $5.99 and it was indeed ringing up BOGO50%. Four of the bottles came to $17.98 ($23.96 before sale), I used $10 in coupons to make them $7.98, and I got the $10 reward back - $2.02 profit. The prices and the inclusion in the sale may be different at your store, so have a backup plan. Yes, two of my Excedrin boxes are torn open; I had started to combine them so they take up less space before realizing I hadn't taken a photo yet!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Rite Aid Run - $84 for a $7 profit, plus important update
Yep, a midweek Rite Aid run! That's unusual for me, but I had two important reasons to go.
The first, and the most important one, was to test the validity of rumors that began swirling around the blogosphere this afternoon. Word was that the +UPs weren't printing for the tuna and sardines. I had planned a trip this afternoon regardless as my main store got a delivery in yesterday solely to get more tuna. Long story short - the tuna & sardine deal is DEAD right now. I tested with two cans of sardines (the cheaper option) and, indeed, I did not get the +UPs I should have. Apparently the marketing department has pulled the unlimited monthly +UPs on the food items, including tuna & sardines, without any warning.
UPDATE: as of 3/10/11, the monthly food +UPs including Bumble Bee tuna & Port Clyde sardines have been "reinstated" through the end of this sale week. If you want cheap tuna, go get it now, by Saturday 3/12, if you can find any. My god, what a charlie-foxtrot this is becoming...
The second reason was to take advantage of some clearance items that were discovered in the last few days. These seem to vary by store, so get a price check to verify. Many NYC cosmetics are clearanced out to 75% off; this week, NYC cosmetics are giving a $1 +UP per item. Some items, including various lip glosses, nail polishes, foundations, and mascaras are marked down to $.49-.74 each, making them profitable after +UPs. In addition, some Sally Hansen nail products are also clearanced 75% to under $1 each, and this week they're giving a $2 +UP for each two purchased. My store didn't have any Sally Hansen clearanced, but I was able to get a nice assortment of NYC lip glosses!
Rite Aid - shelf price $84.11
6 RA coffee 11oz - $1.99ea, $11.94 (raincheck)
3 Desitin baby butt cream stuff - $.99ea, $2.97 (raincheck)
2 Port Clyde sardines - BOGO50%, $1.93
2 NYC foundation - $.74ea, $1.48
3 NYC gel lip gloss - $.74ea, $2.22
12 NYC stick lip gloss - $.49ea, $5.88
Subtotal $26.24, less six $2 off RA coffee, less three $1 off Desitin
Total $11.24, received back $18 +UPs ($1 ea for NYC, $1 for Port Clyde)
Notes:
There were 6 coffees on the delivery my store got. I have rainchecks for 10 more, and the $2 coupons are good through the end of the month. I've got my mom looking at the 3 stores near her, so hopefully we can find the rest while the coupons are still good. With the price of coffee going up and the sales & coupons getting worse, I'll take as much as I can possibly get!
I'm still holding rainchecks for 4 more Desitin and 6 cotton swabs from the Johnson & Johnson deal the other week. I've got time on those.
That's a whole lot of lip gloss, now that I look at the photo. I think I'll see if my niece would like some because I won't be able to use it all!
Now, the rant:
The first, and the most important one, was to test the validity of rumors that began swirling around the blogosphere this afternoon. Word was that the +UPs weren't printing for the tuna and sardines. I had planned a trip this afternoon regardless as my main store got a delivery in yesterday solely to get more tuna. Long story short - the tuna & sardine deal is DEAD right now. I tested with two cans of sardines (the cheaper option) and, indeed, I did not get the +UPs I should have. Apparently the marketing department has pulled the unlimited monthly +UPs on the food items, including tuna & sardines, without any warning.
UPDATE: as of 3/10/11, the monthly food +UPs including Bumble Bee tuna & Port Clyde sardines have been "reinstated" through the end of this sale week. If you want cheap tuna, go get it now, by Saturday 3/12, if you can find any. My god, what a charlie-foxtrot this is becoming...
The second reason was to take advantage of some clearance items that were discovered in the last few days. These seem to vary by store, so get a price check to verify. Many NYC cosmetics are clearanced out to 75% off; this week, NYC cosmetics are giving a $1 +UP per item. Some items, including various lip glosses, nail polishes, foundations, and mascaras are marked down to $.49-.74 each, making them profitable after +UPs. In addition, some Sally Hansen nail products are also clearanced 75% to under $1 each, and this week they're giving a $2 +UP for each two purchased. My store didn't have any Sally Hansen clearanced, but I was able to get a nice assortment of NYC lip glosses!
6 RA coffee 11oz - $1.99ea, $11.94 (raincheck)
3 Desitin baby butt cream stuff - $.99ea, $2.97 (raincheck)
2 Port Clyde sardines - BOGO50%, $1.93
2 NYC foundation - $.74ea, $1.48
3 NYC gel lip gloss - $.74ea, $2.22
12 NYC stick lip gloss - $.49ea, $5.88
Subtotal $26.24, less six $2 off RA coffee, less three $1 off Desitin
Total $11.24, received back $18 +UPs ($1 ea for NYC, $1 for Port Clyde)
$6.76 profit!!!
Notes:
There were 6 coffees on the delivery my store got. I have rainchecks for 10 more, and the $2 coupons are good through the end of the month. I've got my mom looking at the 3 stores near her, so hopefully we can find the rest while the coupons are still good. With the price of coffee going up and the sales & coupons getting worse, I'll take as much as I can possibly get!
I'm still holding rainchecks for 4 more Desitin and 6 cotton swabs from the Johnson & Johnson deal the other week. I've got time on those.
That's a whole lot of lip gloss, now that I look at the photo. I think I'll see if my niece would like some because I won't be able to use it all!
Now, the rant:
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
GIVEAWAY: Win a Green Giant prize pack
Spring is on the way which makes me happy because with spring comes fresh, tasty produce. During the winter, though, I'm always disappointed in the non-seasonal veggie offerings; they're expensive, and they don't taste very good. Rather than rely on subpar produce, once the seasons change I make sure that our freezer is loaded to capacity with frozen veggies, including Green Giant.
I shouldn't need to tell you that everyone ought to be eating their veggies. They're good for you, and that includes the Green Giant offerings; I just pulled a box of frozen GG spinach out of the freezer and the ingredient list is a refreshing "spinach, water, salt, baking soda." No weird chemicals or unpronounceable fillers - just veggies all packaged up the way I'd cook them myself. If you're not a spinach fan, Green Giant has 28 other varieties to suit nearly every taste.
To help welcome spring, I'm giving away a very nice prize pack courtesy of Green Giant.
The winner will receive a coupon for a box of Green Giant frozen veggies along with a large insulated tote bag, a pedometer, a serving spoon and a really nice serving bowl. You'll probably want to pick up a couple extra packages of veggies to serve in that bowl because it holds enough for an entire family! All items color-coordinate with the Green Giant name, and to me no color screams spring quite like green.
To enter: leave a comment on this post with your first name & last initial, and let me know what sort of produce you're most looking forward to devouring in the coming seasons! I'll use a random number generator to select the winning post on Tuesday, March 15th, 2011.
note: I was provided a Green Giant prize pack as shown above by Green Giant in order to facilitate this review. My opinions are my own. A randomly-chosen winner will receive an identical prize pack. No purchase necessary.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Rite Aid Run - $77 for $2, plus monthly spending
Will a couponer buy anything if it's free?
I think it's safe to say the answer is an unequivocal "yes." If it's food and free, I don't care what it is; I'll take it. Since we're not taxed on food, anything we don't care to eat can go straight to the local food pantry. It appears my local pantry will be getting a bunch of sardines from me.
Not pictured: 8 more cans tuna, 8 more tins sardines
Rite Aid - shelf price $77.26
8 Airwick room spray - $1.69ea, BOGO sale, $6.76
4 Thermacare back, 1ct - $3.59ea (with 10% discount), $14.36
16 cans Bumble Bee tuna - $1.49ea, BOGO50%, $17.84
14 tins Port Clyde sardines - $1.29ea, BOGO50%, $13.51
1 Snickers bar - $.79 (10% discount)
1 cupcake serving platter $2.50 (clearance)
Subtotal $55.76, less four BOGO Airwick coupons, less four $3.99 Thermacare store coupons
Total $33.04, received back $30.88 in +UPs ($1 for each tuna & sardine, $.88 for Snickers - LIMIT ONE)
Out of pocket $2.16
How cute is that cupcake platter?? It was on clearance for $2.50; this would have been an overall profitable trip without it, but I couldn't pass it up.
The sardines? Yeah, this is what I meant by couponers will buy anything if it's free. These things are on sale buy one, get one half off, which works out to $.965 per tin. You get back a $1 +UP per tin, making better than free when all is said and done. I figured Chairman Meow would love some sardines as a treat - cats love fish, right? Not this cat. I cut one up on a plate for him and, after sniffing at it, he gave me a look that implied I'd just tried to feed him toxic waste. He won't touch 'em.
I hope someone at the food pantry likes sardines, because they've got at least 13 tins heading their way.
The tuna is all mine, though. I love me some tuna salad. We'll be heading back to Rite Aid later in the week after the next delivery comes to hopefully load up on a bunch more. At ~$.11 per can ($.07 when balanced with the sardine profit), and with expiration dates late in 2013, I'll get a decent amount.
A few days late (it's been a hectic week), but better late than never - February's monthly spending:
I toned down the shopping a bit in February as we were getting critical on space. With the extra shelving we got, along with donating some of the existing health & beauty items, I can take advantage of some more stocking up if possible.
I especially need to add to our food stocks. The increasing grocery prices really cut in to my savings last month, and coupled with sales and coupons that haven't been as great we spent a lot more on groceries than usual. I'm in desperate need of a great coffee sale, as well as cheese, canned tomatoes, and sugar.
Tomorrow I'll be posting another giveaway, so check back!
I think it's safe to say the answer is an unequivocal "yes." If it's food and free, I don't care what it is; I'll take it. Since we're not taxed on food, anything we don't care to eat can go straight to the local food pantry. It appears my local pantry will be getting a bunch of sardines from me.
Rite Aid - shelf price $77.26
8 Airwick room spray - $1.69ea, BOGO sale, $6.76
4 Thermacare back, 1ct - $3.59ea (with 10% discount), $14.36
16 cans Bumble Bee tuna - $1.49ea, BOGO50%, $17.84
14 tins Port Clyde sardines - $1.29ea, BOGO50%, $13.51
1 Snickers bar - $.79 (10% discount)
1 cupcake serving platter $2.50 (clearance)
Subtotal $55.76, less four BOGO Airwick coupons, less four $3.99 Thermacare store coupons
Total $33.04, received back $30.88 in +UPs ($1 for each tuna & sardine, $.88 for Snickers - LIMIT ONE)
Out of pocket $2.16
How cute is that cupcake platter?? It was on clearance for $2.50; this would have been an overall profitable trip without it, but I couldn't pass it up.
The sardines? Yeah, this is what I meant by couponers will buy anything if it's free. These things are on sale buy one, get one half off, which works out to $.965 per tin. You get back a $1 +UP per tin, making better than free when all is said and done. I figured Chairman Meow would love some sardines as a treat - cats love fish, right? Not this cat. I cut one up on a plate for him and, after sniffing at it, he gave me a look that implied I'd just tried to feed him toxic waste. He won't touch 'em.
I hope someone at the food pantry likes sardines, because they've got at least 13 tins heading their way.
The tuna is all mine, though. I love me some tuna salad. We'll be heading back to Rite Aid later in the week after the next delivery comes to hopefully load up on a bunch more. At ~$.11 per can ($.07 when balanced with the sardine profit), and with expiration dates late in 2013, I'll get a decent amount.
A few days late (it's been a hectic week), but better late than never - February's monthly spending:
Shelf price $888.99
Total $316.01
Rewards earned $229
Out of pocket $87.01, for a savings of $801.98, or 90%!!
I toned down the shopping a bit in February as we were getting critical on space. With the extra shelving we got, along with donating some of the existing health & beauty items, I can take advantage of some more stocking up if possible.
I especially need to add to our food stocks. The increasing grocery prices really cut in to my savings last month, and coupled with sales and coupons that haven't been as great we spent a lot more on groceries than usual. I'm in desperate need of a great coffee sale, as well as cheese, canned tomatoes, and sugar.
Tomorrow I'll be posting another giveaway, so check back!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Pillsbury Giveaway Winner!
I used a random number generator to choose the winner of the Pillsbury Bake-Off prize pack - the results are in!
Congrats to poster #4 - Kathy G.!!
Kathy, drop me an email: angrycheapskate (at) gmail (dot) com with your shipping info and I'll get the prize pack out to you right away.
In the next couple days I'll have another giveaway - this one on the opposite end of the spectrum with some healthy goodies!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Dual Drugstore Deals: $303 for a $5 profit!
Sorry for the delay in posting! We had a family get-together all afternoon & evening so it's been a hectic day.
We did our drugstore shopping in the morning and didn't even have time to unpack the car - we had to head straight to the party. I actually had to cut the Walgreens trip short because we were starting to run late.
Also, reminder! The Pillsbury giveaway will end on Tuesday, 3/1, so if you haven't entered please leave a comment on that post to get your entry in! I have another giveaway coming right after the Pillsbury one, so keep an eye on the blog.
Not pictured: 5 bottles Baby Magic baby wash, 6 more packs of BodiHeat heat patches, 1 more cherry cordial candy, 1 box Sambucol 30ct tablets
Walgreens - shelf price $73.85
1 Baby Magic wash, $3
2 20ct Motrin PM - $3ea, $6
Subtotal $9, used $6 off two Motrin
Total $3, received back two $3 RRs ($3 for Baby Magic, $3 for Motrin PM)
I did the above transaction 5 times for a total of 5 Baby Magic, 10 Motrins, and an overall profit of $15!
Now this was a little odd for Walgreens. I had a stack of coupons for Motrin - five for $6 off two items, and a bunch more for $1 off. The 20ct Motrin PM is on sale for $3 and you get a $3 reward back; since you only get one reward per transaction, at first it seems like I missed out on $3 per transaction. However, with the $6 off coupon, both Motrins were free and I still received a $3 reward - $1.50 profit per bottle. If I'd used the $1 coupons it would have been a $1 profit each, so overall this was the most profit for us.
I had planned to do the above transactions, then after using my $6 coupons I was going to switch back & forth between the Baby Magic and a single Motrin, using the $3 reward from the prior transaction to pay for the next. Unfortunately we were out of time and had to leave right away to make the party, so I called it a day and gave some of the $1 coupons to our fantastic cashier so she could get herself some Motrin.
I handed off the 5 bottles of Baby Magic to my sister (along with all of last week's Johnson & Johnson) at the party. At this point my nephew should be stocked up in wash & shampoo 'til he's 10.
We also had a massive haul at Rite Aid - shelf price $228.52:
We did our drugstore shopping in the morning and didn't even have time to unpack the car - we had to head straight to the party. I actually had to cut the Walgreens trip short because we were starting to run late.
Also, reminder! The Pillsbury giveaway will end on Tuesday, 3/1, so if you haven't entered please leave a comment on that post to get your entry in! I have another giveaway coming right after the Pillsbury one, so keep an eye on the blog.
Walgreens - shelf price $73.85
1 Baby Magic wash, $3
2 20ct Motrin PM - $3ea, $6
Subtotal $9, used $6 off two Motrin
Total $3, received back two $3 RRs ($3 for Baby Magic, $3 for Motrin PM)
$3 profit!!
I did the above transaction 5 times for a total of 5 Baby Magic, 10 Motrins, and an overall profit of $15!
Now this was a little odd for Walgreens. I had a stack of coupons for Motrin - five for $6 off two items, and a bunch more for $1 off. The 20ct Motrin PM is on sale for $3 and you get a $3 reward back; since you only get one reward per transaction, at first it seems like I missed out on $3 per transaction. However, with the $6 off coupon, both Motrins were free and I still received a $3 reward - $1.50 profit per bottle. If I'd used the $1 coupons it would have been a $1 profit each, so overall this was the most profit for us.
I had planned to do the above transactions, then after using my $6 coupons I was going to switch back & forth between the Baby Magic and a single Motrin, using the $3 reward from the prior transaction to pay for the next. Unfortunately we were out of time and had to leave right away to make the party, so I called it a day and gave some of the $1 coupons to our fantastic cashier so she could get herself some Motrin.
I handed off the 5 bottles of Baby Magic to my sister (along with all of last week's Johnson & Johnson) at the party. At this point my nephew should be stocked up in wash & shampoo 'til he's 10.
We also had a massive haul at Rite Aid - shelf price $228.52:
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Are your grocery bills getting bigger?
So, have you been to the grocery store lately?
Have you noticed anything different over the past couple-few months?
It's not just you.
Maybe you've noticed your food packaging getting smaller, such as the former 64oz jugs of orange juice suddenly morphing into 59oz jugs. One of my favorite sites, Consumerist, terms this phenomenon the Grocery Shrink Ray. When that jug of OJ decreased in size it didn't decrease proportionately in price; in fact, it's crept up in price even though the size reduction has stayed the same. What about coffee? A year ago I was buying 36oz canisters of coffee for $8.99; today those canisters are 33oz and are running $11.69.
Let's do a little math on that. 36oz of coffee at $8.99 works out to $.249/oz while 33oz of coffee at $11.69 works out to $.354/oz. That's an increase in price per ounce of 42%!
What about cereal? Andy's a huge fan of cereal so it's something we buy frequently. Thanks to couponing we've been able to get those $4 boxes of cereal for $.49-.75 each - that's been my stock up price. Lately, though, the great sales combined with great coupons for cereal have dried up like the Gobi and I've had to adjust my stock-up price. Now? At $.99 per box we'll grab a few (er, well, we will once Andy eats some of the 35 boxes we have on the shelf). That's a 32% increase in price.
It doesn't seem to matter which aisle you're in or what you're buying; the prices at the grocery store are going up left & right. From canned goods to meat to fresh produce, everything is getting more expensive and the coupons are not getting any better.
What's going on?
There are a lot of places to point fingers, but what it comes down to is one simple phrase: food inflation. Our food is getting more expensive and there's no single source to blame (well, there is, but this is a blog about frugality in general, not my soapbox for current affairs).
Start with the obvious - the price of raw materials is going up. The raw materials, or commodities, I'm talking about include corn, wheat, coffee beans, sugar, beef, and so on - the basic components of what we eat and what our food eats. How much have they gone up? Well, hold on to your britches. Over the past six months:
sugar prices are up 82.6%
corn is up 59%
coffee and rice are both up about 41%
And, while we're at it, on 2/22 oil increased to its highest price in over two years. How do you think our food gets from field to factory to supermarket?
Many large food companies have already issued warnings that prices will continue to rise, including Kraft, Kellogg (*ahem* cereal prices), Hormel and General Mills (more cereal!), Smucker, Sara Lee and ConAgra, and the list goes on and on - and it isn't just here in the US, either. Worldwide, food prices have increased 29% from a year ago according to the World Bank.
In a nutshell, the prices of raw materials are skyrocketing due to various factors and those price increases are passed on to us, the shopper.
Price increases are a part of life. Have you ever said to yourself, "Jeez, I remember when gas was under a buck a gallon!" or "I used to be able to eat pretty well for $20 a week!" when looking at your latest trip to the gas station or grocery store? I certainly remember those days, but also consider what sort of income you were bringing in when things were so much cheaper. I think it's pretty safe to say that one's average income increased significantly between 1995 and 2005, so those price increases didn't sting too badly.
But now....now....has your income increased 29% from a year ago to match the general increase in food prices?
 |
| *crickets* |
It's bullshit. Really, it is.
Ask the 14% of Americans currently relying on food stamps if everything is all better.
See, therein lies the biggest problem. Food inflation at its current rate is tough on the average person, but it can mean skipped meals and poor nutrition for someone on a very fixed budget.
What can you do?
Coupons & sales. Considering you're reading this post, hopefully you've taken at least some of my advice to heart and have clipped a few coupons, maybe stocked up on a few extra items to keep on hand. Remember, if you can get something for free or pennies now, you don't have to pay dollars for it later.
Cook more. It's cheaper to make a big pot of spaghetti that will feed 8 people than it is to go out to eat for 8 plates of spaghetti at $10 each.
Quit wasting so much good stuff! My Grandpa grew up during the Depression (the first one, not our current cluster). When I was growing up, in much more prosperous times, I never could figure out why Gramps always insisted on saving the gross bones and yucky bits left over from a turkey dinner. Well, see, back in his younger years, you didn't waste food. In fact, it's only been in recent years that we've forgotten how to utilize all parts of our food and that includes meat bones and other "nasty bits." Gramps used that turkey carcass to make stock, to which he added vegetables and leftover turkey meat to create gallons of turkey soup to freeze and eat later. His Grandma did it; in fact, there's a bit of a running joke in my family about Chicken Foot Soup. During those Depression years, his Grandma would make a soup for Sunday dinner from bones, necks, and chicken feet. Back then it was frugal; nowadays world-famous chefs know that bones, necks and feet make the richest, tastiest chicken stock. Don't waste anything.
Back to the basics. Learn to make bread, can or pickle vegetables, or to cut a large piece of meat down into manageable sized portions. Think about the way people ate 80 years ago and make a point to learn at least one trick or method used commonly then but rarely now that will save you some money. Grow a small garden, even if it's a single tomato plant in a bucket on your front porch.
Consider less expensive substitutes. Don't throw up your hands and buy a few cases of ramen noodles to feed yourself for the next month. Beans and eggs are two overlooked sources of protein that are cheap, filling, tasty, and easy to prepare - not to mention nutritious. Buy produce that's in season locally rather than out of season, imported stuff (i.e. tomatoes in February does not equal in season locally here in Ohio).
Make a plan and stick to it. Know how much you can comfortably afford to spend before you set out for the grocery store and don't go over that amount. Have a list prepared and only deviate from it if you find a less expensive substitute. Don't go shopping hungry.
Share if you're able. I've mentioned several times about donating any excess items you may get from this whole "couponing as a sport" thing to shelters and food pantries in your area. Now is a really great time to do this if you find yourself with a shit-ton of pasta or even a few extra cans of vegetables. If you're noticing the increase in food prices, imagine how obvious it is to someone who has to feed themselves and their family with $150 per month in food stamps.
Hope for the best. Really, that's about all you can do. Stock up on cheap food as much as you're comfortable stocking, but even with a bomb shelter full of MREs all you can do is hope that things reach a balance. With any luck we'll somehow get out of this without too much pain...I hope.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
GIVEAWAY: Win a Pillsbury Bake-Off prize pack
This year marks the 45th showing of the world-famous Pillsbury Bake-Off. Home cooks like you submit original recipes using Pillsbury products for a chance to compete for the grand prize of one million dollars.
Pillsbury is accepting recipes through 4/18/11 in four categories including "Breakfast & Brunches," "Entertaining Appetizers," "Dinner Made Easy," and, my favorite, "Sweet Treats." Official rules and all the legal details can be found at bakeoff.com, including the list of Pillsbury products that must be included in your final recipe.
The Bake-Off is open to US residents age 18 or older who are truly amateur cooks. Those who get paid to make food aren't eligible (which, unfortunately, disqualifies me this year) so everyone is competing on a level playing field. I've entered the Bake-Off in past years and, though I've never made it to the finals, I do enjoy the wide variety of qualifying products. Entrants must use at least two Pillsbury products in their recipe - one each from two lists - and those lists include items ranging from basic butter, herbs and flour to convenience foods such as brownie mixes and prepared biscuits.
In 1949, Pillsbury held their first Bake-Off. The second prize that first year went to a Miss Laura Rott from Illinois. I mention the second-place winner rather than the grand prize winner because Miss Rott's recipe for Mint Surprise Cookies has been a family tradition of ours every Christmas since the 1950s. Every year for Christmas the ladies of the family gather to make cookies, and every year we make Miss Rott's Starlight Mint Surprises. The Pillsbury Bake-Off holds a special place in my heart thanks to this recipe; it's not Christmas without those cookies!
 |
| Mom making the Starlight cookies in 2010 |
So, maybe you've decided to give this Bake-Off a shot. If you're thinking about entering, you'll need some inspiration, right?
Thanks to Pillsbury, I'm giving away one prize pack to a randomly selected reader. The winner will receive one apron with Pillsbury's famous Dough-Boy decorating the front, a cookbook with 100 winning Bake-Off recipes, and a notepad and pen to jot down recipe ideas.
To enter, just leave a comment on this entry with your first name, last initial, and tell me about your favorite cookie! I'll use a random number generator to select the winning post on Tuesday, March 1st, 2011.
note: I was provided a Bake-Off prize pack as shown above by Pillsbury in order to facilitate this review. My opinions are my own. A randomly-chosen winner will receive an identical prize pack. No purchase necessary.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Dual Drugstore Deals: $169 for $11, plus updated loot stack
I've finally got things in order 'round here.
We hit 2 Rite Aids and a Walgreens today before carrying on with our other errands. In hindsight, this is one bizarre mix of items we semi-purchased.
Walgreens - shelf price $30.94
4 RePHresh tampons $5.99ea, $23.96
2 packages hair clips $.75ea, $1.50 (clearance, filler)
2 Skittles $.22ea, $.44 (clearance, filler)
Subtotal $25.90, less four $1 off RePHresh
Total $21.90, received back $20 ($5 for each RePHresh)
Out of pocket $1.90
Did the above in 4 transactions with one box of RePHresh and one of the clearance items per transaction.
Rite Aid - shelf price $137.93
12 Lays Stax $1, $12 (raincheck)
5 Rite Aid coffee $1.99ea, $9.95
3 Care Bears baby wipes $.90ea, $2.70
4 Oreo Double Stuf $3ea, $12
4 Right Guard 5 in 1 bodywash/shampoo $3.99ea, $15.96 (LIMIT TWO per card)
10 Johnson & Johnson baby wash & shampoo $2.99ea, $29.90
1 Snickers $.50
Subtotal $83.01, less five $2 off RA coffee, less four $1 off Right Guard, less ten $1 off J&J
Total $59.01, received back $50 in +UPs ($1 for each Lays, $1 for each Oreo, $1 bonus for each 2 Oreo, $3 for each Right Guard, $2 for each J&J)
Out of pocket $9.01
I also got rainchecks for more RA coffee ($1.99ea), Desitin diaper cream ($2.99ea with $2 +UP), and Johnson cotton swabs ($2.99ea with $2 +UP). We went to two stores looking for Desitin & cotton swabs and they were cleared out. There's been a sudden upswing in coupon shoppers in my area it seems and that's translating to a lot more rainchecks & empty shelves. That's not a problem most of the time; I'll just hang on to my coupons and pick up the items as they come in stock.
In case you're wondering, all the baby stuff isn't for me. That's for my little nephew. Since the J&J and Desitin are free after coupon and +UP, I got as much as I could. The baby wipes may or may not be a great deal; I'm not sure, but for $.90 per pack of 80 wipes I figured it didn't hurt to grab a few.
The Oreos are a decent "hidden" deal this week - they're 2 for $6, and you get a $1 +UP back per pair. You also get a monthly $1 +UP per package, which makes these $1.50ea with no coupon needed. No, they're not free, but I'm a sucker for Oreos.
After we got all our drugstore shopping taken care of, we made one final stop at K-Mart to look for a shelving unit. As I mentioned in my last post, it got a bit out of control when I attempted to reorganize all our stuff. We officially needed more storage space, so with a K-Mart gift card just sitting around, we went to look for shelves and found just what we needed. They had a nice 6' tall, very sturdy shelving unit for just $39. It now holds most of our nonperishable food.
We hit 2 Rite Aids and a Walgreens today before carrying on with our other errands. In hindsight, this is one bizarre mix of items we semi-purchased.
4 RePHresh tampons $5.99ea, $23.96
2 packages hair clips $.75ea, $1.50 (clearance, filler)
2 Skittles $.22ea, $.44 (clearance, filler)
Subtotal $25.90, less four $1 off RePHresh
Total $21.90, received back $20 ($5 for each RePHresh)
Out of pocket $1.90
Did the above in 4 transactions with one box of RePHresh and one of the clearance items per transaction.
Rite Aid - shelf price $137.93
12 Lays Stax $1, $12 (raincheck)
5 Rite Aid coffee $1.99ea, $9.95
3 Care Bears baby wipes $.90ea, $2.70
4 Oreo Double Stuf $3ea, $12
4 Right Guard 5 in 1 bodywash/shampoo $3.99ea, $15.96 (LIMIT TWO per card)
10 Johnson & Johnson baby wash & shampoo $2.99ea, $29.90
1 Snickers $.50
Subtotal $83.01, less five $2 off RA coffee, less four $1 off Right Guard, less ten $1 off J&J
Total $59.01, received back $50 in +UPs ($1 for each Lays, $1 for each Oreo, $1 bonus for each 2 Oreo, $3 for each Right Guard, $2 for each J&J)
Out of pocket $9.01
I also got rainchecks for more RA coffee ($1.99ea), Desitin diaper cream ($2.99ea with $2 +UP), and Johnson cotton swabs ($2.99ea with $2 +UP). We went to two stores looking for Desitin & cotton swabs and they were cleared out. There's been a sudden upswing in coupon shoppers in my area it seems and that's translating to a lot more rainchecks & empty shelves. That's not a problem most of the time; I'll just hang on to my coupons and pick up the items as they come in stock.
In case you're wondering, all the baby stuff isn't for me. That's for my little nephew. Since the J&J and Desitin are free after coupon and +UP, I got as much as I could. The baby wipes may or may not be a great deal; I'm not sure, but for $.90 per pack of 80 wipes I figured it didn't hurt to grab a few.
The Oreos are a decent "hidden" deal this week - they're 2 for $6, and you get a $1 +UP back per pair. You also get a monthly $1 +UP per package, which makes these $1.50ea with no coupon needed. No, they're not free, but I'm a sucker for Oreos.
After we got all our drugstore shopping taken care of, we made one final stop at K-Mart to look for a shelving unit. As I mentioned in my last post, it got a bit out of control when I attempted to reorganize all our stuff. We officially needed more storage space, so with a K-Mart gift card just sitting around, we went to look for shelves and found just what we needed. They had a nice 6' tall, very sturdy shelving unit for just $39. It now holds most of our nonperishable food.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Rite Aid Run - $92 for $4
We're gonna have to do without a photo of the loot this week - I'm trying to reorganize the living room, which is where I take my photos, and things got a bit out of control. There's stuff everywhere. It's not fit for photos right now.
So here's a picture of some cupcakes I made; pretend there's a bunch of free stuff instead, okay?
Rite Aid - shelf price $91.60
4 bottles Maalox $4.99ea, $19.96
2 Chex Mix $1.50ea, $3
2 Colgate Sensitive $3.50ea, $7 (LIMIT TWO)
4 GE CFL light bulbs $2.99ea, $11.96 (LIMIT FOUR)
3 Finesse conditioner $.50ea, $1.50 (raincheck)
5 lbs whole wheat pasta $.50ea, $2.50
2 Snickers peanut butter bars $.79ea, $1.58
4 Diet Pepsi $1.25ea, $5
Subtotal $52.50, less four $5 off Maalox, less $.50 off Chex Mix, less two $1 off Colgate, less four $1 off GE, less BOGO Snickers
Total $25.21, received back $21 in +UPs ($1 for each Maalox, $1 for each Chex Mix, $3.50 for each Colgate, less $2 for each light bulb)
Out of pocket $4.21
This was a pretty tame week overall. There wasn't much we needed except the light bulbs, but I'll get some Maalox and Colgate if they pay me a buck each to take 'em!
We were getting a little low on pasta, so it was a welcome surprise to see some whole wheat noodles marked down to $.50 per pound. I have no idea why they were marked down; their expiration date isn't until September 2011 so they're not about to go bad or anything. That's a good price for the whole wheat pasta so I grabbed 'em.
I have a lot of catching up to do on this here blog once I get the living room back in livable shape. I've got a post I want to make about prices going up at the grocery store, plus I've got some cool stuff to give away. Keep an eye out in the next few days!
So here's a picture of some cupcakes I made; pretend there's a bunch of free stuff instead, okay?
Rite Aid - shelf price $91.60
4 bottles Maalox $4.99ea, $19.96
2 Chex Mix $1.50ea, $3
2 Colgate Sensitive $3.50ea, $7 (LIMIT TWO)
4 GE CFL light bulbs $2.99ea, $11.96 (LIMIT FOUR)
3 Finesse conditioner $.50ea, $1.50 (raincheck)
5 lbs whole wheat pasta $.50ea, $2.50
2 Snickers peanut butter bars $.79ea, $1.58
4 Diet Pepsi $1.25ea, $5
Subtotal $52.50, less four $5 off Maalox, less $.50 off Chex Mix, less two $1 off Colgate, less four $1 off GE, less BOGO Snickers
Total $25.21, received back $21 in +UPs ($1 for each Maalox, $1 for each Chex Mix, $3.50 for each Colgate, less $2 for each light bulb)
Out of pocket $4.21
This was a pretty tame week overall. There wasn't much we needed except the light bulbs, but I'll get some Maalox and Colgate if they pay me a buck each to take 'em!
We were getting a little low on pasta, so it was a welcome surprise to see some whole wheat noodles marked down to $.50 per pound. I have no idea why they were marked down; their expiration date isn't until September 2011 so they're not about to go bad or anything. That's a good price for the whole wheat pasta so I grabbed 'em.
I have a lot of catching up to do on this here blog once I get the living room back in livable shape. I've got a post I want to make about prices going up at the grocery store, plus I've got some cool stuff to give away. Keep an eye out in the next few days!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Cheap Meals: Using leftovers - pulled pork flatbread pizza
So a reader commented to me (hi Binney!) that it would be helpful if I were to post some more recipes here, especially recipes using inexpensive cuts of meat. If you've been to the grocery store recently, I'm sure you've noticed that meat, along with everything else, is doing nothing but increasing in price. The cheaper cuts of meat are looking more and more affordable; the only problem is that many people don't know how to cook a cheap roast and have it come out palatable.
The less-expensive types of meat - including chuck roasts (beef) and shoulder roasts (pork, also called picnic roast or Boston butt) - are less expensive because they have more tough connective tissue, aren't boneless, have a less bold flavor, and/or have less fat marbling. These particular types of meat generally need to be cooked for a long time, often with confounding methods like braising. It's easier to just slap a pork tenderloin in the oven for 40 minutes and be done with it rather than fuss with a pork shoulder that has to cook for hours.
Well, buckle in and haul out your Crockpot. Let's talk pork.
The other day Andy and I stopped at Giant Eagle to grab some strawberries. While we were there I discovered a display of pork shoulder roasts for $.99/lb; that's a fantastic price and, with a little too much excitement, I loaded them all in the cart. Pork shoulder is one of my favorite cuts of meat because, with a little care, it makes a rich and delicious pork roast that you can prepare a million different ways.
Sunday night I tossed a 4lb roast into the Crockpot with some water, a couple shakes of vinegar, a couple shakes of liquid smoke, a couple shakes of Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and a few dashes of red pepper flake. I left it cook on low overnight while we slept, and in the afternoon I added a squirt of ketchup to the liquid. Once the ketchup mixed in with the liquid, I basted the meat a few times - the sugar in the ketchup helps form a flavorful coating on the meat. About an hour before we wanted to eat, I half-uncovered the Crockpot and turned the heat to high, which allowed for a crust to form on the meat and for some excess liquid to evaporate. I also added some sliced onions on top of the meat for some extra flavor.
And that was that. Once the meat was done I removed the bone with a pair of tongs, broke the meat into chunks, and served it with some veggies and flatbread.
Dinner 1 - devoured. And there was still more than half the roast left.
Rather than just reheat the roast and repeat Monday's dinner, tonight I turned it into something completely different.
Using a fork, I shredded the remaining pork and heated it in a saucepan with a bit of hot sauce and just enough barbecue sauce to moisten. I french-cut half an onion, preheated the oven to 375*, and got out two pieces of flatbread. You can buy flatbread at the store or you can very easily make it at home.
On a foil-lined baking sheet I put down the flatbread, evenly spread some of the shredded pork on it, sprinkled on some onion slices all pretty, and topped it with some shredded cheddar cheese. If you want more barbecue sauce just drizzle it right on, but don't go overboard or the flatbread will be soggy.
Then just pop it in the oven for about 10 minutes or so until the cheese is melted and the flatbread is crisp and cracker-like at the edges. Cut it into manageable pieces with a pizza cutter and enjoy!
We got four full meals out of the 4lb roast and there's still a bit of pork left over. We'll call it 5 servings in total.
The less-expensive types of meat - including chuck roasts (beef) and shoulder roasts (pork, also called picnic roast or Boston butt) - are less expensive because they have more tough connective tissue, aren't boneless, have a less bold flavor, and/or have less fat marbling. These particular types of meat generally need to be cooked for a long time, often with confounding methods like braising. It's easier to just slap a pork tenderloin in the oven for 40 minutes and be done with it rather than fuss with a pork shoulder that has to cook for hours.
Well, buckle in and haul out your Crockpot. Let's talk pork.
The other day Andy and I stopped at Giant Eagle to grab some strawberries. While we were there I discovered a display of pork shoulder roasts for $.99/lb; that's a fantastic price and, with a little too much excitement, I loaded them all in the cart. Pork shoulder is one of my favorite cuts of meat because, with a little care, it makes a rich and delicious pork roast that you can prepare a million different ways.
Sunday night I tossed a 4lb roast into the Crockpot with some water, a couple shakes of vinegar, a couple shakes of liquid smoke, a couple shakes of Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and a few dashes of red pepper flake. I left it cook on low overnight while we slept, and in the afternoon I added a squirt of ketchup to the liquid. Once the ketchup mixed in with the liquid, I basted the meat a few times - the sugar in the ketchup helps form a flavorful coating on the meat. About an hour before we wanted to eat, I half-uncovered the Crockpot and turned the heat to high, which allowed for a crust to form on the meat and for some excess liquid to evaporate. I also added some sliced onions on top of the meat for some extra flavor.
And that was that. Once the meat was done I removed the bone with a pair of tongs, broke the meat into chunks, and served it with some veggies and flatbread.
Dinner 1 - devoured. And there was still more than half the roast left.
Rather than just reheat the roast and repeat Monday's dinner, tonight I turned it into something completely different.
On a foil-lined baking sheet I put down the flatbread, evenly spread some of the shredded pork on it, sprinkled on some onion slices all pretty, and topped it with some shredded cheddar cheese. If you want more barbecue sauce just drizzle it right on, but don't go overboard or the flatbread will be soggy.
Then just pop it in the oven for about 10 minutes or so until the cheese is melted and the flatbread is crisp and cracker-like at the edges. Cut it into manageable pieces with a pizza cutter and enjoy!
We got four full meals out of the 4lb roast and there's still a bit of pork left over. We'll call it 5 servings in total.
Pork $4You seriously can't mess up either of these quasi-recipes. The Crockpot does all the hard work for you while you sleep, work, or are in class; all you have to do is chuck the food in there and spend 5 minutes finishing the roast at the end. I put the flatbread pizzas together in about 10 minutes, with another 10-15 minutes baking time - nothing to it!
Spices, liquids, seasonings to cook it $.50
Flatbread $.50
1 onion $1 (half used in the roast, half on the pizzas)
Cheese $.50
BBQ sauce $.25
Total for 5 servings $6.75, or $1.35 per serving.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Dual Drugstore Deals: $179 for $17
We had a busy day today. After rushing off to Walgreens & Rite Aid, we came home so I could finish making my mom's birthday cake and then headed off to a combo Super Bowl party/birthday party. I always love family get-togethers!
Walgreens - shelf price $83.88
3 Garner Herbashine hair color $5 ea, $15
1 Right Guard body wash $3.99
Subtotal $18.99, less $1 Right Guard (peelie on bottles), three $3 Herbashine
Total $8.99, received back $8 RR ($5 for spending $15 on Garnier, $3 for Right Guard)
Out of pocket $.99
I did the above transaction three times for a total cost of $2.97 for NINE boxes of hair dye (!!!) and three body washes!
Rite Aid - shelf price $95.27
4 Finesse conditioners $3ea, $12
9 boxes cereal $1.99ea, $17.91
5 Mentos $.50ea, $2.50
2 Ritz crackers $1.99ea, $3.98
3 Scotch paper/coupon cutters $.79ea, $2.37 (clearance)
Subtotal $38.67, less five $.50 Mentos, less $1 off 2 Ritz
Total $35.26, received $21 in +UPs ($5 for each pair of Finesse, $1 for each cereal, $1 for each Ritz)
Out of pocket $14.26
Today was raincheck city at my Rite Aid. The Excedrin PM 20ct ($1.99ea, I have a bunch of $2.50 coupons) were wiped out, the Betty Crocker items ($2ea, get $2 WYB 2 plus an additional $1 monthly +UP for each, plus various coupons available) were wiped out, and there were only 4 Finesse conditioners on the shelf. I don't need any shampoo right now, but we go through conditioner so quickly that I'd wanted to get several more bottles. Rainchecks all around!
The cereal deals have been really slim lately. I mean, really slim. With various Kellogg's cereals $1.99ea with a $1 +UP back, I figured we should grab a few boxes. Andy grabbed 9. The prices at the stores aren't getting any lower and I've started to rethink my stock-up prices. Cereal used to be $.49-.75 per box for my stock-up price; now it's looking like $.99 is the point where I need to grab a bunch. Kellogg's recently announced that their cereal prices would go up even more in the coming year, so may as well get it now. *sigh*
Today's totals
We had a great time at the party this evening. As is the norm with my family gatherings, there was tons of great food and lots of laughter. I brought three of the Herbashine hair color and traded those to my mom for 5 jars of Jif and some Lays Stax from last week's sales and some Betty Crocker from this week's. She's had good luck finding abundant stock of the various freebie/super cheap food deals at her stores, so she picks us up extras.
Now it's time to go sleep off all the pizza & cake from tonight's festivities....!
3 Garner Herbashine hair color $5 ea, $15
1 Right Guard body wash $3.99
Subtotal $18.99, less $1 Right Guard (peelie on bottles), three $3 Herbashine
Total $8.99, received back $8 RR ($5 for spending $15 on Garnier, $3 for Right Guard)
Out of pocket $.99
I did the above transaction three times for a total cost of $2.97 for NINE boxes of hair dye (!!!) and three body washes!
Rite Aid - shelf price $95.27
4 Finesse conditioners $3ea, $12
9 boxes cereal $1.99ea, $17.91
5 Mentos $.50ea, $2.50
2 Ritz crackers $1.99ea, $3.98
3 Scotch paper/coupon cutters $.79ea, $2.37 (clearance)
Subtotal $38.67, less five $.50 Mentos, less $1 off 2 Ritz
Total $35.26, received $21 in +UPs ($5 for each pair of Finesse, $1 for each cereal, $1 for each Ritz)
Out of pocket $14.26
Today was raincheck city at my Rite Aid. The Excedrin PM 20ct ($1.99ea, I have a bunch of $2.50 coupons) were wiped out, the Betty Crocker items ($2ea, get $2 WYB 2 plus an additional $1 monthly +UP for each, plus various coupons available) were wiped out, and there were only 4 Finesse conditioners on the shelf. I don't need any shampoo right now, but we go through conditioner so quickly that I'd wanted to get several more bottles. Rainchecks all around!
The cereal deals have been really slim lately. I mean, really slim. With various Kellogg's cereals $1.99ea with a $1 +UP back, I figured we should grab a few boxes. Andy grabbed 9. The prices at the stores aren't getting any lower and I've started to rethink my stock-up prices. Cereal used to be $.49-.75 per box for my stock-up price; now it's looking like $.99 is the point where I need to grab a bunch. Kellogg's recently announced that their cereal prices would go up even more in the coming year, so may as well get it now. *sigh*
Today's totals
Shelf price $179.15
Total $62.23
Rewards earned $43
Out of pocket $17.23
We had a great time at the party this evening. As is the norm with my family gatherings, there was tons of great food and lots of laughter. I brought three of the Herbashine hair color and traded those to my mom for 5 jars of Jif and some Lays Stax from last week's sales and some Betty Crocker from this week's. She's had good luck finding abundant stock of the various freebie/super cheap food deals at her stores, so she picks us up extras.
Now it's time to go sleep off all the pizza & cake from tonight's festivities....!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thinking outside the coupon binder
Now, my thoughts:
It all started with my internet friend who runs this blog thing (she's a very cool individual, regardless of the coupon thing):
The Angry Cheapskate
It didn't really resonate with me at first since, as a single guy, I don't buy that much coupon related stuff. (food items and paper goods, and toothpaste, etc.) Stuff I buy at the grocery store tends to last me a while because I'm the only one using it. Saving fifty cents on trash bags every three months isn't that massive an incentive to me in the long run. I did, however, pass the URL on to a coworker that has a six person family (husband and four kids plus her). She had been talking about that coupon based reality show (barf) on TV, and I said something along the lines of "Here, check out the blog and maybe you'll get some ideas." Like everybody about now, she was looking at ways to economize a bit and with four kids heavily into the tween/teen years, she needs it. (one just got accepted to NC State, so college tuition looms heavily as well)
At first she kind of dismissed the idea as something old ladies do in the checkout line in front of you and bottleneck the line, but it wasn't long until she had a big binder full of coupons to organize her weekly clippings. Suddenly she (like my bloggy friend) was reporting savings weekly in the one to two hundred dollar range depending on what she bought and what the deals were that week. Sure, she has indeed ended up with thirty pounds of pasta during one shopping adventure, but with the kids, it won't last as long as you might think and it was nearly free when she was done. It is a bit of work to make sure you go to the right store for the right deal, scour the papers and fliers and keep everything organized, but you can't dismiss the results. I encourage anybody, especially with a big family, to check out Chellie's blog and try it out for yourself.
This all led to a discussion at lunch one day about just how much we spend on going "out" to lunch. When you add it up, it's astounding, especially when you consider the relative quality of the food. Not a great situation at all looking at cost/benefit ratio. Now that we are getting older and, let's face it, ain't nobody getting any smaller/healthier, the quality of food issue really sticks out. Over the next few lunches we hatched a mash-up of the coupon and lunch issues and have decided to maximize food dollars with the coupons, and then use the fresh food and cooking it ourselves to maximize the food quality as well. We figure that with careful shopping, coupons and buying healthy fruits, veggies and chicken with some other carefully selected meats tossed into the menu, we can do this for about sixty bucks a week for 5-6 people. If you consider that we spend on average ten dollars a day (and I bet you do too if you eat at places with anything above a dollar menu, and if you're eating dollar menu you know what quality you're getting there) eating out during the week. For me that's fifty a week, minimum. That works out to $200 a month I'm blowing on lunch. That could be going to something useful, like lottery tickets. Or, you know, gas or retirement or something silly.
We have equipped the office break area with items like a crock pot (that I had just sitting around in my house), flatware (from the dollar store), plates, baskets to hang veggies and produce, toaster oven, and other such cookware for little to no real investment. We have worked out a menu that calls for salads a couple days of the week with fresh produce, crock-pot (slow cooker to some of you) dishes that we can set-and-forget in the morning, things that freeze well to keep in the freezer before preparation. It's a work in progress, but it's promising. We eat well with freshly prepared foods, better nutrition, more portion and calorie control and we still set aside one day a week to do shopping and eat "out" just to give us a break from the office. All that and our personal budgets will be much happier for it. Especially after garden season cranks up here. Fruits and veggies out the ying-yang from family gardens and farmers markets will really max out the budget nicely all summer.
Add this to the walking course we've mapped out through the neighborhoods around the office, and hopefully we'll all be healthier and slimmer in a few months to come. Again, it's a work in progress, so things will get massaged and tweaked as we go, but overall it's a workable plan with good short and long term benefits. It's not like we come up with good, workable, beneficial plans here very often, so it's kind of a new area for us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)