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)

$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.

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. 

not pictured: 2 packs Scunci hair bands

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! 

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!!

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.

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)

$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:

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:

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!

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)

$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:

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.

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!

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

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....!

Rite Aid Run - $247 for a $42 profit! Plus monthly spending.

Oh Rite Aid, how do I love thee.

Terribly sorry for the picture of our freezer interior, but I didn't want to dig out the ice cream for a photo op with the other goodies.
Not pictured: 5 more Lays Stax.

So, yeah.  Wow.  Poor Andy.  He had to push a cart around Rite Aid full of Stayfree and ice cream.  His only comment: "I wasn't aware I'd be pushing a cart of maxi pads around today...."

Why was poor Andy pushing a cart full of feminine products?  Well, because I was pushing my own cart full of feminine products, nasal spray, and snacks.  We must've made one hell of a confusing picture to the untrained eye.

All the below items were purchased over several transactions at two different stores.

Shelf price $246.57
12 Stayfree $4.39-6.99, BOGO free sale, $36.64 total
8 Afrin nasal spray $5.99ea, $47.92
8 Chex Mix $1.50ea, $12
5 Edy's ice cream $2.99ea, $14.95
4 Colgate Total 4oz $2.99ea, $11.96
4 Jif peanut butter $1.99ea, $7.96
2 Motrin PM 20ct $1ea, $2 (raincheck)
2 small funnels $.89ea ($.80ea with my discount), $1.60
2 medium funnels $1.19 ($1.07ea with my discount), $2.14
6 Lays Stax $6
Subtotal $143.17 - less six BOGO Sayfree $6 max value ($36 total), eight $3 off Afrin ($24), four $.50 off 2 Chex Mix ($2), four $1 Colgate ($4), two $1 Motrin ($2)
Total $75.14
Received back $4 for each Afrin, $1 for each Chex, $2 for each Edy's, $2 for each Colgate, $1 for each Jif, $2 for each pair of funnels, $1 for each Lays = $72
plus
$5 +UP for +UP Your Game promo (buy $15 of select items including Edy's & Lays in a single transaction, this week only, limit one),
plus
Two $10 +UP for Heart Healthy promo (buy $30 worth of select heart healthy items including Afrin & Colgate get $10, buy $50 get two $10 +UPs, does not have to be in a single transaction, 2 month promo, limit one)
plus
$20 +UP for the Winter Rewards promo (spend $100 on select items, receive $20 +UP, does not have to be in a single transaction, monthly promo, limit one)
Total +UPs received $117.

Shelf price $246.57
Total $75.14
Rewards earned $117

$41.86 profit!!!

I'd normally try for some eloquent discussion here regarding my haul for the day, but....
ICE CREAAAAAAMMMMM.  FREE ICE CREAAAAMMMMM!!

*ahem*

Yeah, I'm a bit excited about the ice cream.  If we had a larger freezer, there'd be more Edy's in my possession but it was tough making the 5 cartons fit as it is.  They're $2.99 each with a $2 +UP back, and if you spend $15 on items including Edy's you get an extra $5 +UP.  By buying 5 Edy's and 1 Lays, my total came to $15.95 and I received back $16 in +UPs.  Free.  Deliciously free.  The bonus $5 +UP is limit one per card; the individual $2 ice cream +UPs are unlimited at this point.
Afrin - $5.99ea, get $4 +UP back each, and I had $3 off coupons.  Each bottle was a profit of $1.01, and these count towards the month-long Heart Healthy promo.  By buying 8 of those at $47.92 and one Colgate Total at $2.99 with a $2 +UP and a $1 coupon, I "spent" $50 before coupons to qualify for the bonus $20 +UP.  That's a $28 profit on the Afrin & Colgate.
The Jif peanut butter is a decent price at $.99ea after sale & +UP.  It's not great, but for Andy's very favorite brand I'll take it.  Jif also counts toward the Winter Reward promo, so in the end it works out to free for us.
Stayfree - they're on sale for buy one get one free and I had a stack of BOGO coupons (max value $6).  I tried to get a mix of different prices to bring my total as close to $36 as possible - which is the maximum value of my combined six coupons - and it worked out well!  Only $.64 for all twelve packages.

This was a fabulous trip.  It really couldn't have gone any better, though I do wish I'd grabbed more of the Lays Stax.  Perhaps later in the week.  These, the Chex Mix, and the TGIF snacks from the other week are great for Andy to take to work with him to snack on, and you really can't beat the price!

For the month of January

Merchandise value $1,419.68
Total $488.60
Rewards & rebates earned $395.44
Out of pocket $92.16 for a savings of $1,326.52, or 93%!!

I would have posted this much earlier but I've been dealing with a dead computer all afternoon & evening.  As if it weren't bad enough that Andy had to push around a cart of Stayfree, shortly after we got home his computer died.   
I'll discuss this in a post later tonight or tomorrow - there's a very important frugal tip to be had for everyone reading this.  I haven't fixed the problem(s) with Andy's computer quite yet, but he's currently surfing the web while I get everything sorted out and it didn't cost a penny to get an otherwise dead machine up & running.  I'll explain how in the very near future.

Dual Drugstore Deals: $172 for $10 - you light up my life

Christmas clearance, snacks, light bulbs, and Maalox.  What a combo!

Not pictured: eight 2 liters Diet Pepsi

Our first stop was Walgreens - shelf price $72.81
6 Maalox - $5.24ea, $31.44 ($6.99, on sale for 25% off)
5 Chex Mix - $1.33ea, $6.65
8 Diet Pepsi - $1.25ea, $10
Subtotal $48.09, less six $5 off Maalox, two $.50 off 2 Chex Mix, five $.33 off Chex Mix store coupon, eight $.25 off Pepsi store coupon
Total $13.44, received back $13.50 RR ($10 for spending $30 on Maalox, $3.50 for 5 Chex Mix)

$.06 profit!!

Then, on to Rite Aid - shelf price $98.69
6 GE Soft White light bulbs, 4pk - $1.99ea, $11.94 (LIMIT SIX)
2 Special K cereal bars - $2.50ea, $5
1 Animal Planet toy - $1.99 (90% clearance)
4 mini Christmas lights - $.39ea, $1.56 (90% clearance)
3 rolls ribbon $.24ea, $.72 (90% clearance)
1 box Christmas cards - $.99 (90% clearance)
1 snowman tin - $.59 (90% clearance)
1 medium gift bag - $.29 (90% clearance)
2 small gift bags - $.19ea, $.38 (90% clearance)
1 box shortbread cookies - $.10 (90% clearance)
Subtotal $23.56, less $1 off two Special K
Total $22.56, received back $11.94 +UPs ($1.99 for each box of light bulbs, LIMIT SIX)
Out of pocket $10.62!!


The Special K bars were a test.  Someone had heard that they might be producing a $1 +UP per box; they're not, and that's fine.  They make a fairly healthy snack and Andy likes to take one to work with him sometimes. 
With all the awesome monthly "hidden" +UPs for January ending yesterday, we're eagerly awaiting the discovery of the new ones.  This is usually how Rite Aid addicts discover the monthly bonus +UPs - by buying one or two items to see if something works and sharing the results.  The Special K bars don't work.  =D
My store had a small little section of leftover Christmas clearance at 90% off so I took a good amount of it off their hands.  The Animal Planet toy will be a great birthday gift for my baby nephew this summer, and the other seasonal items will get packed away for next year.


Today was a fairly small trip overall.  There wasn't much I particularly wanted beyond the Maalox, Chex Mix, and light bulbs so I'm happy that I was able to find everything I was looking for.

Next week, however.  Ohhhh next week is shaping up to be one hell of a trip!!


Aside: we also made a quick stop at Giant Eagle today for milk, produce, eggs, bagels, and some BOGO sirloin tip roasts to the tune of $23.53.

On Coupons & Marketing

This week's debacle at Rite Aid got me to thinking.

Back in another lifetime, I worked in advertising & marketing.  Everywhere we go every single day, we're constantly surrounded by suggestions on where to shop and what to buy, and for the most part marketers have 'how to get people to buy their shit' down pat.  It's part psychology, part math, and part voodoo, really, but - let's face it - it works.  Marketing works, especially when it's done right.

Businesses don't offer sales and manufacturers don't issue coupons because they're nice.   They do it to make money.  Nothing more, nothing less; sales and coupons are a form of marketing and the whole point of marketing is to sell product.

When Rite Aid decided to "give away" their store-branded paper products this week, it was likely for one of two reasons.  Either they wanted to get their product out there in order to entice folks to buy it at full price after the sale is over, or they planned on it being what's called a loss leader.
A loss leader is an item that is advertised at a crazy cheap price for the sole purpose of getting customers in the door where they will generally buy additional items since they're at the store already.  When your grocery store offers meat for $1.49lb marked down from $3.29lb, that's a loss leader.  Shoppers will rush to the store to get the inexpensive meat, and since they're in the store anyway they're more likely to buy other items - whether it's grabbing a candy bar at the checkout or loading a basket with some ice cream and rolls and soda.
Many times a manufacturer will introduce a new product to the market by organizing big sale with the stores and issuing a coupon on top of it.  The goal is to get the new product into the market (we're the market, if you didn't know) and, hopefully, consumers will discover they like the product and not only buy it again, but tell their friends and family about this great new product.  It even works on me: CVS had Evolution of Smooth lip balm free after ECB with a limit of one some weeks back.  I got my lone EOS lip balm and discovered that's it's pretty damn awesome.  I even commented to Andy that I'd totally pay full price for this stuff once my existing balm was gone.

Well, Rite Aid's plan worked - whether that plan was to introduce their product to more consumers, get shoppers into the stores, or a combination of both.
People went apeshit over free TP.  I've seen reports around the blogosphere about shoppers waiting in line before stores opened and running to the paper products to sweep everything they could into their carts.  Shoppers went from store to store to store to scoop up literally hundreds of the free TP and facial tissue.  There have been tantrums and screaming fits and lots of angry, disappointed customers who weren't able to find a single roll of TP anywhere in their area.  Come Monday morning Rite Aid quickly imposed a limit of one paper product per Wellness card; after a sea of complaints, they raised it to a limit of three items per card for the remainder of the sales week.

So while the plan worked, it also backfired horribly.  Rite Aid made a glaring mistake: they made it way too easy to get free necessities.
Toilet paper is expensive.  Everyone needs toilet paper.  In this terrible economy, a lot of families are trying to cut back and save money wherever they can, and when it comes to toilet paper you're effectively flushing money down the sewer.
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you could rush to Rite Aid, load up your cart, pay for ten rolls of TP in cash and use the +UPs you get to pay for the next ten, and the next ten, and so on, effectively only shelling out $10 at the beginning of the day to get a vanload of paper products and still having $10 in store credit at the end to grab some milk or cold medicine.

Manufacturers issue coupons because the vast majority of the coupons that get used are redeemed one or two at a time.  If you want to get 10 free widgets by using coupons, you have to jump through a few hoops to get there.  You've got to either buy 10 newspapers, beg extra coupons from friends & family, buy coupons from a clipping service, or scrounge up discarded newspapers.  The effort involved deters what I'd guess to be 99% of the consumer base from getting multiple items.  Most folks will take their lone coupon from the Sunday paper and get one free widget because there are too many hoops to jump through to get more.

The big three drug stores almost always have at least one "free" item each week that you don't need a single coupon to get.  There are hoops, though.

Dual Drugstore Deals: $185 for $11 - pass the toilet paper!

We are awash in toilet paper.

LATE EDIT:  As of Monday, 1/20/10, the TP & facial tissue at Rite Aid is now LIMIT ONE. Only one $1 +UP will print on your receipt.
LATER EDIT: As of late Monday, 1/20/10, the limit on this deal is THREE items.  You will only get three $1 +UPs no matter how many you buy.  Three total all week.   
As an aside, I understand a company not wanting to lose money.  I really do.  But, c'mon, you're offering free toilet paper and kleenex with absolutely zero hoops to jump through or work involved - in this economy, what do you think is going to happen??  It seems like this wasn't very well thought-out.  Yes, it drew tons of people into the stores and exposed customers to your product, but did no one stop and think that folks would load the hell up on one of life's necessities for free?

Not pictured: four 2 liters Diet Pepsi

Walgreens - shelf price $32.28
4 Thermacare Back & Neck $2.50ea, $10
4 Diet Pepsi $1.25ea, $5
4 Kraft Homestyle Mac & Cheese $1.67ea, $6.68
Subtotal $21.68, less four $1 off Kraft, less one $1 off 4 Pepsi store coupon, less four $.50 off Kraft store coupon
Total $14.68, received back $10 RR ($2.50ea for Thermacare)
Out of pocket $4.68



Rite Aid gets a little complicated so I'm going to break this down a little differently than normal.

Rite Aid - shelf price $153.21
13 single roll toilet paper $1ea, $13 - rec'd $13 in +UPs NOW LIMIT 3
6 4pk toilet paper $.90ea (with discount), $5.40 *see note - rec'd $6 in +UPs NOW LIMIT 3
1 box facial tissue $1 - rec'd $1 +UP NOW LIMIT 3
12 bags TGIFridays snacks $.97ea, $11.64 - rec'd $12 in +UPs
2 Toms of Maine products $3.99ea, $7.98 - rec'd $6 in +UPs
3 Hormel chili $1.25ea, $3.75 - rec'd $3 in +UPs
2 Ester-C $5.99 BOGO, raincheck, $3.99 total (used two $2 coupons - FREE)
2 Pilot pens $2.06ea (with discount), $4.12 - rec'd $4 +UP

Then there was the clearance stuff!
2 Physician's Formula mascara $2.43ea, $4.86 (used $5 coupon adjusted down - FREE)
1 Olay Complete moisturizer $2.24 (used $2 coupon)
3 rolls wrapping paper $.19ea, $.57
3 big rolls wrapping paper $.39ea, $1.17
3 boxes shortbread cookies $.10ea, $.30
2 chocolate marshmallow Santas $.08ea, $.16
1 massive box candy canes $.99
1 snowman tin $.59
1 holiday tin $.29

Subtotal for everything $62.05, less $10.86 in coupons
Total $51.19, received back $45 in +UPs
Out of pocket $6.19!!

This was a crazy insane trip:

Dual Drugstore Deals: $272 for $17!

We had an excellent trip to the drugstores today, though by looking at the photo you probably wouldn't think that's where we went.

LATE EDIT: the Bumble Bee tuna & Hormel Compleats deal as detailed in the Rite Aid section of this entry is no longer working as of 1/11/11.  Hormel is now giving a single $1 +UP per package, Bumble Bee is giving a $1 +UP per 4.

Look at all that food!  Not pictured: 2 ceramic plates shaped like cupcakes, 4 2 liters Diet Coke

Walgreens - shelf price $34.02
3 EOS lip balm $2.99ea, $8.97
3 Snickers bars, 3 for $2
2 L'Oreal lip gloss $2.29ea, $4.58 (clearance)
Subtotal $15.55
Less two $2 off L'Oreal, total $11.55, received back $6 RRs ($2 for each EOS)
Out of pocket $5.55

I really only wanted to get the EOS today because that is an amazing lip balm and I'm glad to pay $.99 after RR for one.  Seriously, I love this stuff.  A quick trip 'round the cosmetics area and I found some L'Oreal lip glosses clearanced down to $2.29ea.  I had some $2 off coupons for L'Oreal cosmetics; with these normally priced at $9.99, $.29ea is a steal.
The Snickers bars are the cashiers' suggestive sell item this month.  As I've mentioned, they get a small bonus for selling these items so I try to pick some up when I can.  It never hurts to help out your cashiers; they'll remember you for it and it makes life much easier in the long run!


Rite Aid - shelf price $238.11

Dual Drugstore Deals: $369 for $11

We had two pretty crazy trips today. Without unnecessary chit-chat (because I don't have much time to blog this evening!), let's get to the good stuff.

Not pictured: four 2 liters Diet Coke, four 14lb pails of Tidy Cats cat litter

Walgreens - shelf price $219.31
5 Salonpas arthritis pain relief patches, 5ct - $5.99ea, $29.95
4 20ct Advil - $3ea, $12
4 Pantene - $3.50ea, $14
4 Nivea for Men shave gel/moisturizer - $3.99ea, $15.96
4 14lb pails Tidy Cats - $5ea, $20
2 Theraflu - $4.99ea, $9.98
2 Breathe-Rite strips, 10ct - $6.79ea, $13.58
4 L'Oreal lipstick - $2.79ea (clearance), $11.16
2 L'Oreal lip gloss - $2.59ea (clearance), $5.18
2 L'Oreal eyeliner - $3.59ea (clearance), $7.18
Subtotal $138.99
Total after coupons $70.22, received back $59 in Register Rewards
Out of pocket $11.22

I'll be honest here; I don't remember quite how I did this.  There were 7 transactions involved and, fortunately, my cashier knew exactly what she was doing and why I was doing what I was doing.
Salonpas - $5.99ea, receive back $6 RR
Advil - $3ea, I had $2 off coupons, got back a $3 RR for spending $10, so $.25 per bottle
Pantene - This is a push item this month for the Cosmetics cashiers; they get a small commission for each bottle they sell, so I got 4 bottles.  It worked out to $1ea after coupon & RR.
Breathe-Rite - The Catalina machine spit out two coupons for free Breathe-Rite on my transactions with the Theraflu, so Andy ran to grab a couple boxes.  Can't beat free!
L'Oreal - you may notice I've never posted makeup deals before.  I don't really wear makeup save for a little lipstick & mascara, and eyeliner when I'm gettin' real gussied up - ergo I never buy the stuff unless I get paid to take it.  With all this stuff on super deep clearance combined with a stack of $5 off 2 coupons AND a $5 RR back when you buy $15...they paid me to take the makeup.

Then, on to Rite Aid - shelf price $149.43

The last shopping trip of the year: $200 for under a buck, plus monthly & yearly spending

Today we took our last shopping trip of 2010.

We received word today that a neighbor of ours had a sudden death in the family.  The spouse and children of the deceased are struggling not just with the emotional trauma, but also with being able to afford everyday necessities like food and toiletries.  I had some shopping I wanted to get done before the end of the year anyway, so I changed up my plan some to look specifically for items this particular family may find a little bit helpful during such a difficult time.

Not pictured: five 2 liters Diet Pepsi, bag of sweet potatoes

First, a quick stop at Giant Eagle - shelf price $41.06
12 Dawn dish detergent $2.50ea, $30
1 can chipotle peppers $2.19
3.4lbs sweet potatoes $2.69
Subtotal $34.88, less twelve $.50 off Dawn (doubled to $1)
Total $22.88, received back three $5 OYNOs ($5 for each 4 Dawn)
Out of pocket $7.88

Then, on to Rite Aid - shelf price $159.74
8 cans Progresso soup $1.50ea, $12
4 Gillette deodorants $4 ea, $16
2 computer mouses (mice?), $2.99ea, $5.98
6 assorted Aussie & Herbal Essence hair care $2.50ea, $15
2 bags brown rice $1.69ea, $3.38
1 bag white rice $1.49
2 Sundown vitamins $3.49ea, BOGO free
5 assorted bottles Excedrin $6.99ea, $35.94
2 Pilot EZ Touch pens $2.29ea, $4.58
5 2 liter Diet Pepsi $1.25ea, $5
Subtotal $102.86
Less $5 off $25, less two $1 off 4 Progresso, less one Buy 2 Get 1 Free Gillette, less three $2 off Gillette, less three BOGO Aussie/HE, less three $1 off Aussie/HE, less two $1 off Sundown, less four free Excedrin ($5.99 max value), less one $3.50 off Excedrin
Total $45.90, received back $53 +UPs ($1 ea for Progresso, $3 for each pair of Gillette, $5 ea for computer mouses, $1 ea for rice, $2 for Sundown, $4 for Pilot pens, $20 for Resolution Rewards)

$7.10 profit!!

I really winged it on this trip to RA.  I had a stack of coupons that expire tomorrow and I just brought the whole lot with me to see if I could find any of the items on clearance.  I also had no idea how stock would be on many items - I struck out with the Old Spice, but hit paydirt on the Progresso.  Win some, lose some!  We just strolled the aisles looking for good deals and in the end it worked out great - even greater because I didn't realize I had "spent" $100 towards the Resolution Rewards to get that $20 +UP.  It was a fun trip and, in the end, my receipt was 85" long - just over 7' of savings and profit! 

Today's totals

Shelf price $200.80
Total $68.78
Rewards earned $68
Out of pocket $.78!!

Let's see how I did for the month of December
Merchandise value - $1,325.43
Total cost after sales & coupons - $466.67
Rewards earned - $397.78
Rebates earned - $26

Out of pocket - $42.89, for a savings of $1,282.74, or 97%!!! 

How about for the "year" (October-December since I just started tracking in October)
Merchandise value - $4,640.75
Total cost after sales & coupons - $1,570.92
Rewards earned - $1,044.92
Rebates earned - $106.45
Out of pocket - $419.55 for a savings of $4,221.20, or 91%!!!

Whoa!!  I must say, that's pretty impressive considering I've only been playing the "drugstore game" for less than three months now and I was really bad at it to start.  That's like...a part-time job's worth of savings there!



On a more serious note, tonight I'm going to put together a few bags of necessities for my neighbor's family including some of the items we got today.  I've talked before about donating items to those in need, and that I do my best to keep my donations in my community.  I think this is probably about the best way I can contribute to both of my goals.

Drugstore Trifecta: $353 for a profit of $24

Two and a half hours.  We shopped for two and a half hours today.
Let's just get to the good stuff.

Not pictured: five 2 liters Diet Coke

Walgreens - shelf price $31.16
4 Nyquil Sinex $5
Subtotal $20
Less four $4 off 1 coupons
Total $4, received back $10 RR

$6 profit!!

CVS - shelf price $54.92
1 Tone bodywash $3.88
5 Diet Coke $.88ea, $4.40
2 8x10 Kodak photo books $19.99ea, $39.98
Subtotal $48.26
Less $1 off Tone, less BOGO Kodak sale, less BOGO Kodak manufacturer's coupon
Total $7.28, received back $3 ECB (Tone)
Out of pocket $4.28

Rite Aid - shelf price $266.84
Transaction 1

Dual Drugstore Deals: $148 for a $17 profit, and sleeping soundly for two years

What a day, what a day!  Shopping should always be this fun.

CVS
1 Thermacare neck, back & shoulder 1ct $2.79
Less $1 off any Thermacare
Total $1.79, received back $2.79 ECB (limit 1)

$1 profit!!

This wasn't very exciting.  The only item that drew my attention at CVS this week was the free after ECB Thermacare.  I had coupons for $1 off, but with the limit being just one I couldn't do much.  If CVS wasn't directly on the way to Rite Aid I wouldn't have even bothered stopping, but what can ya do?  Some weeks aren't great at some stores and this was one of them for CVS.  At least I got a Thermacare (which I use like crazy) and a Green Bag Tag scan.

Rite Aid
Transaction 1
6 bonus packs 3mg Natrol melatonin $8.49ea (2 60ct bottles banded together for a total of 12 bottles)
Subtotal $50.94
Less BOGO sale - $25.47
Less $5 off $25 purchase, less six $3 off any Natrol
Total $2.47, received back $6 in +UP ($2 for each two bonus packs)

$3.53 profit!!

By my count, this is 720 days' (nights?) worth of melatonin.  I should be sleeping soundly for two years, and they paid me $3.53 to do it.


Transaction 2
4 candy bars $.50ea, $2
3 Clearasil daily wash $5.49ea, $16.74
3 Clearasil Overnight Serum $5.24ea, $15.72 (clearanced 50% off from $10.49ea)
3 Rite Aid coffee 11oz $1.99ea, $5.97
3 Motrin PM 20ct $5.99ea, $17.97
2 fishing game toy thingies $2.24ea, $4.48
1 package Rite Aid beef jerky for Andy, $3.59 with my discount
Subtotal $66.47
Less $5 off $25 coupon, less BOGO candy, less $.50 off 2 candy, less three $2 off Clearasil in-ad coupons, less three $2 off Clearasil manufacturer's coupons, less three $5 off Clearasil Overnight in-ad coupons, less three $2 off Rite Aid coffee, less three $2 off Motrin in-ad coupons, less three $2 off Motrin mfg coupons
Total $15.47
Received back $28 in +UPs: $1 for buying 4 candy bars, $2 for each Clearasil product, $3 for each Motrin, $2 for each game, and a bonus $1 for each game

$12.53 profit!!

The last transaction was a bit of a doozy.  I could have broken it up into two, but I hadn't brought enough $5 off $25 coupons with me.  *shrug*

Dual Drugstore Deals: $185 for a $13 profit

We hit CVS & Rite Aid this morning before the snow started and wound up with a great haul.  It wasn't as good as I'd been hoping for in an ideal situation, but it was great.  :)  Afterward I hightailed it (with my loot!) over to my grandparents' to make Christmas cookies all day.  Gram was impressed with the haul and, as I set up for the loot stack photo, was laughing that I had my own little store.  It seems like it sometimes!

CVS
2 Excedrin PM 100ct $21.98
1 Complete contact solution $9.99
1 Christmas tree $29.99
Subtotal $61.96
Less $5 off $30 purchase, less two $2.50 off Excedrin PM, less 25% off tree, less $10 off Christmas tree
Total $34.46, paid in ECBs, received back $10 ECB Excedrin, $9.99 ECB Complete
Total $14.47

The Magic Coupon Machine spit out a coupon for $10 off any Christmas tree.  We don't have one yet, and since it's just the two of us I'd only wanted a very small 3' or 4' tree.  We found a really cute little 4' prelit tree with a base, so you just need to take it out and plug it in.  It was normally $29.99 but was marked down 25% to $22.49.  With the $10 off coupon, it came to $12.49 and that's a fantastic price in my book!

Here it is straight out of the box.  I was messing with it later and it's a fluffy, nice-looking tree - especially for $12.49!  I'll get a better photo later once it's decorated.

Originally I got the Complete contact solution just so I could use my $5 off $30 coupon.  It's $9.99 with a $9.99 ECB back; when combined with $20 of Excedrin that coupon would have brought my out of pocket down to like $2.  Since we added the tree I technically didn't need to get the stuff (I don't wear contacts!), but I had already put it in my bag and didn't quite realize until we were paying that it wasn't necessary.  Oh well, it was free!

Next, on to Rite Aid!