Sunday Gameplan for 12/12

At first I thought this would be another slow week.  Rite Aid came screaming out of nowhere, though, and my short shopping list turned into a spreadsheet-figuring mess.

I'm not sure if I'll bother with CVS this week.  There's a really good deal on batteries, but we use rechargeables so I'm not particularly inclined to get regular ones that probably won't get used.  This may change later in the week as I have a couple free Excedrin coupons on the way; if they get here in time, I'll use those as part of an Excedrin deal going on.

Wags is another uncertainty.  I have to go this week to use up at least $10 of my rewards that expire on the 18th, but something apparently went completely awry with their registers early this morning.  My carefully crafted transaction is probably useless at this point; I'll go to use what I have to and get some super cheap plastic cutlery and Sharpie markers at the very least.

Rite Aid, though.  Oh Rite Aid, how I love you. 
My plan is sort of nebulous right now because I have no idea what stock is going to be like on three screaming deals tomorrow.  I'm going to buy what I can based on what they've got and work with one or two (or more?) transactions on the fly based on that.

Deal 1: Select Airwick products are buy one get one free.  The candles are $5.99ea and I have coupons for $3 off each candle (11/14 Smart Source circular).  Since you can use one coupon on each item, that means each pair of candles is free after coupon.  Even better than that, you get a $3 +UP for every $10 spent.  I'm working off the assumption that it's calculated after the BOGO sale, so 4 candles = $11.98, minus $3 coupons = free, and receive back a $3 +UP for spending $10 pre-coupon: $3 profit.  If the pre-sale price is counted, I'd get two $3 +UPs back; I'm not planning on that, but if it happens it'll be a nice bonus.  I have 8 coupons so I'll buy 4 or 8 candles depending on stock.
Deal 2: this is one of my screaming deals that I'll buy based on stock because no coupons are involved.  Rite Aid brand envelopes and tape are BOGO, and you get a $2 +UP for each two you buy.  Each pair of tape is $1.49 after BOGO, each pair of envelopes are $2.29 after BOGO.  After +UPs, the tape is a $.51 profit per pair and the envelopes cost just $.29 per pair.  I'll buy as many as possible of these two items and it should just about come to free in the end.
Deal 3: another screaming deal.  Revlon beauty tools are 40% off and you get a $2 +UP for each two items purchased.  This includes smaller items like nail clippers and emery boards, some of which will ring up as under $1 after the 40% sale.  I also have a store coupon for $3 off Revlon nail care, which will bring my total even lower.  As with the previous deal, I'll buy what I can based on what they've got - my price point is regular price of $1.69 or less.  There's also a $1 Rite Aid Single Check Rebate (limit 1) I'll get whether I buy 2 items or 200.  Hey, a buck's a buck!
Deal 4:  the third screaming deal.  Ecotools products are buy one get one 50% off with a $5 +UP on each two items.  Here's the math: I'll buy as many items as possible priced at $2.99 or less.  Two items at $2.99 come to $4.49 after sale, and I'll get $5 back for each pair: a $.51 profit.  Yeah, I'll buy as much as I can at that price point. 
Deal 5: Colgate Sensitive toothpaste is on sale for $3.50 with a $3.50 +UP back.  I don't need any more free toothpaste, but I have $.75 off coupons for this stuff.  I'll take what I can based on my coupons and store stock levels for a $.75 profit on each tube.  The food pantry will love more toothpaste since they don't get much donated!

I'll look at what I can get of the above deals and break them down into multiple transactions as needed to use the $5 off $25 purchase coupons to maximize my savings.  The goal is to get my pre-coupon total as close to $25.01 as possible to take that extra $5 off.  For this week, the Colgate Sensitive toothpaste may come in quite handy to use as a "filler" since I get the full purchase price back in +UPs. 
Let's say I buy 8 Airwick candles for a total of $23.96.  I can add two Colgate toothpastes to that transaction to bring my total to $30.96.  I'd use a $5 coupon, two $.75 Colgate coupons, and eight $3 Airwick coupons for a total coupon deduction of $30.50.  I would owe $.46 in cash, and I'd receive back $6 in Airwick +UPs and $7 in Colgate +UPs; I'd get paid $12.54 to take all that stuff out of the store!
Since these $5 off $25 coupons are likely done for good at the end of this month, I'll use them as effectively as possible for the 20 days left.

I've got to get all my dealing done tomorrow morning.  We're making Christmas cookies with my Grandma Sunday afternoon, and Sunday evening we're forecast for a big nasty snowstorm to start rolling through.  They're calling for a foot or more by Wednesday.  *sigh*  I love to save money, but even I have my limits.

Sunday Gameplan for 11/21

I know we've all heard of Black Friday.  Did you know drugstores do it too?  I was shocked when I discovered that.  I've never gone out shopping the day after Thanksgiving once - not ever!

I won't this year, either.
But I will be going out on Thanksgiving.  Before dinner, I promise.  While all the other crazy people go to Best Buy or Target or wherever they go, I'll be snug at home having already taken my deals at Walgreens.  And Rite Aid.  And CVS.  I may have some sort of mental condition.


(image hat-tip xkcd)

Anyway, there are two sales to worry about at each store this week.  Sunday I'll only be worrying about CVS and Rite Aid; Walgreens doesn't have anything great that I particularly want until Thursday.  I actually was going to skip CVS as well, but I did find one pretty great deal and since it's on the way to Rite Aid, it's totally worth a stop.

CVS
4 Playtex Gentle Glide - $5.29ea
Subtotal $21.16
Less two $2/1 coupons, less two $1/1 coupons, less $4 off $20 purchase
Total $11.16, receive back $10 ECB (spend $20 on any Schick, Edge, Skintimate, Playtex products)
$1.16 for four boxes of Playtex.  That's a damn good deal!

Then, on to Rite Aid
For my first trick, I will attempt to locate a very expensive item, use coupons, and receive a rebate to make this expensive item FREE.  Since my effort to locate a different, but similar, undisclosed expensive item last week did not pan out, I'm going to see if I can find a (better) substitute at Rite Aid.  Please have it in stock, Rite Aid.  I want to get my mom a nice Christmas present.

Then I'll get a little nutty.
7 Planters NUTrition - $3.99ea
Subtotal $27.93
Less seven $1/1 coupons, less $5 off $25 purchase
Total $15.93, receive back seven $2 +UPs and a one time $5 bonus +UP for spending $25 on Planters

Repeat the above transaction once more exactly as above, but I'll "only" get $14 in +UP back.
For 14 cans of nuts - many are Christmas gifts for my Grandpa (it's what he asked for!!) - I'll turn a profit of $1.14.  The total will be $31.86 (paid in +UPs), and I'll get $33 in +UPs back.  Nice.

Sunday Gameplan for 11/14

Assuming stock is decent tomorrow, it's shaping up to be a big haul at the drugstores.  We did a little recon at Wags tonight - we drove right by our usual store while out and about and stopped in to grab a couple more free Reach flosses.  While there, I scoped out the two items we're most interested in and stock looks good.

I'm a little nervous about Rite Aid, though I can get rainchecks if needed.  That's gonna be the big trip, though, and rainchecks disappoint me a little.  I want my free stuff NOW, dammit!


We'll begin at CVS.
6 Skippy peanut butter $10, get $3 ECB back (limit 1)
1 undisclosed item*
1 Herbal Essence shampoo or conditioner $2.99, get $2 ECB back (limit 1)
$1.52 profit!!
*undisclosed item is not disclosed due to the holiday season approaching.  I can't even break this one down because the price & ECBs back would give it away. 

The undisclosed item stands a good chance of not being in stock given the sale.  I would like it to be, but I'm expecting raincheck city.  *sigh*

Then Walgreens
Transaction 1:
2 Nyquil liquid $10
2 BC powder 24ct $3.98
1 bottle Gain dish soap $.89
2 packages paper plates $1.78 (filler)
Subtotal $16.65
Less two $1.50 Nyquil, two $1 BC, $1 Gain
Total $10.65, receive back $5 RR (Nyquil)
OOP $5.65

Transaction 2:
2 Nyquil liquid $10
1 package paper plates (filler)
Subtotal $10.89
Less two $1.50 Nyquil
Total $7.89, receive back $5 RR (Nyquil)
OOP $2.89

This is a higher out of pocket ($8.54 total) than I'd usually go for at Wags, but it is what it is.  The Nyquil is $1/bottle after coupon & RR, the BC powder is $.99ea after coupons, and we need paper plates so for $.89ea that's a great filler for us. 

We'll wrap it all up with (hopefully) a monster trip to Rite Aid

Sunday Gameplan

Food deals this week?  Not so great.  Other deals this week?  FANTASTIC!

The thing is, though, that several of the items I plan to get have coupons that expire on 10/31.  Tomorrow will find me at my regular Rite Aid hoping they've got plenty of stock and, if they don't, on a wild goose chase to other Rite Aid locations until I find everything I need.

I did a bunch of laundry Friday.  I would have done more but we're apparently out of detergent.  Crap, how did I let that happen??  And have you seen the prices on the big bottles of Tide lately?  It's on sale at CVS this week for twenty freakin' dollars!  No no no, that just won't do.

This is what I think will do just fine:

Transaction 1
2 50oz bottles Tide - $11.76
1 18ct package Tide Stain Release tabs - $5.88
2 Old Spice body washes or deodorants - $7
1 bottle Dawn - $.99 (filler to get total up to $25)
Subtotal: $25.63
Less $5 off $25 purchase
Less two $1 Tide detergent (exp 10/31/10)
Less one $3 Tide Stain Release (exp 10/31/10)
Less $3.50 buy one get one free Old Spice
Less $1 off two Old Spice products (exp 10/31/10; may not be able to use this one depending on how the register reads it)
Less $.50 Dawn
Total after coupons: $10.63.  Pay $3 in +UPs and $7.63 cash
Receive back $3 +UPs ($1 for each Tide product) and a coupon for a FREE 10oz Nyquil ($5.99 value, for buying $20 worth of advertised Proctor & Gamble products)
OOP: $7.63

Transaction 2
5 11oz canister Folgers coffee - $14.95
1 10oz bottle Nyquil - $5.99
1 box Glad trash bags $4.74
Subtotal: $25.68
Less $5 off $25 purchase
Less $5.99 Nyquil from previous transaction
Less five $1 off Folgers
Less $.75 off Glad trash bags
Total after coupons: $8.94.  Pay $6 in +UP and $2.94 cash.
Receive back $6 in +UPs ($1 ea for the Folgers, $1 for the trash bags)
OOP: $2.94

So.  If everything is in stock, I'll walk out with $51.31 worth of laundry detergent, coffee, trash bags, body wash, Nyquil, and dish soap for $10.57 in cash.  Since I'm only spending the same amount of +UPs as I'll earn back, those cancel each other out nicely.  If I shopped like I used to, the $10.57 wouldn't even pay for the two bottles of Tide detergent!

Later in the week I'll hit Giant Eagle for food, but my attention will be more on the health & beauty deals.  There are no fast-expiring coupons involved so I don't need to rush out on Sunday to get this trip done.
I'll buy 10 Sinex - $50
And 5 Colgate toothpaste - $5
Less ten $4 Sinex coupons
Less five $1 Colgate coupons
Subtotal $10
I'll receive back $23 in health & beauty OYNOs ($2 for each Sinex, $3 for spending $10 shelf price on the Colgate).
I'll then take those OYNOs and buy as much store-brand ibuprofen as I can for that amount.  For $10 cash I'll have enough sinus medicine to see me through the year and into next, five more tubes of toothpaste, and what I hope to be a year's worth of ibuprofen. 

This is why we stockpile, kids

I was talking this whole couponing thing over with my friend Misty (HI MISTY!!!!).  She wants to get in on these savings and she made a comment about needing to change her mindset on how she and her family shop.  They do what most folks do; they clip Sunday's coupons for items they'll use the next week, for the stuff they've got on their shopping list for the next trip to the grocery. 

When it comes to these 70%, 80% or more savings, though, you need to do the exact opposite.

You make your list around your coupons, you don't clip coupons based on your list.

Our circular came in the mail today, and six months ago I would have looked through it and added some $2 pasta sauce, 2 packages of frozen veggies on sale for $1, and a box or two of $3 cereal to my existing list of meat, milk, etc.  I wouldn't have had any coupons because I didn't buy a Sunday newspaper and the coupon circular that comes in the mail didn't have anything for cereal, veggies, or pasta sauce (actually, the entire circular pretty much sucks ass).  But hey, they were on sale so I was saving money!

Today I looked at the sales circular for all of 5 minutes before tossing it aside.
It's craptastic.  Abso-freakin-lutely craptastic.
And, you know what?  That's perfectly fine. 

Why is it fine?

Because I got 16 packages of frozen veg last week for $.31ea on top of the 10 I'd gotten two weeks before for $.50ea.
Because I got 10 large jars of pasta sauce for $.70ea a few weeks ago.
Because I got 15 boxes of pasta at a profit last week.
I have canned tomatoes, canned veggies, cheese, lunchmeat, coffee, cookies, feminine products, toothpaste, deodorant, and all manner of everyday use items that I got for free or nearly free tucked away for shitty sales weeks just like this one. 
I'm not obligated to pay $3 for a box of cereal this week because the boxes I got for half that or less are in the pantry.  If we were out of coffee I wouldn't have much choice but to pay $11 for a single canister.

And as an extension of shopping based on your coupons rather than the other way around - you eat based on what you've already purchased for pennies on the dollar rather than shop based on what you want to eat.
I mean, sure, if you've got a craving for some ice cream, go buy the ice cream even if it's full price.  But once you get that new mindset, once you get to the point where you've got the beginnings of a stockpile of nonperishables, your meals should be planned around what you've got on hand.
With so much free pasta, I'll lean towards preparing more pasta dishes.  I've got tomatoes, pasta sauce, piles of frozen veggies, beef, chicken, cheese....I could turn that into about 10 different meals.  Instead of looking at the craptastic grocery sales this week and trying to come up with dinner, I pick and choose the few good deals and use those to supplement the food I've already got.  Next week's sales will hopefully provide more opportunities to stock up on other stuff.

So what am I buying this week?
There's the usual: milk, meat, produce, soda.
Ketchup.  We only have about a bottle and a half right now.  One store (which doesn't double coupons) has Heinz for a buck, and the other store (which does) has it for $1.29.  I may have a handful of $.75/1 coupons en route, so if those get here in time I'll take the profit on the $1.29 ketchup.  If not, I plan to pick up a couple bottles for a buck each at my non-usual store to stash aside until another sale comes up.
Ziploc bags.  $1.20 per box after sale & coupon, which is still fairly high, but again....we're almost out.  I'll buy a couple and hope for cheaper to stock up.
Bush's beans.  They're on sale and I have a stack of coupons to take the bigger cans down to $.57 and $.67ea.  That's low enough to buy 8-10 cans.
A few canned veggies for $.50ea.  We have a fairly decent amount of these, but I'll grab 5 or 10 for that price.

That's about it.  No pushing around two carts, no 58 transactions, no car packed to the rafters with bags this week.
And we have enough food stocked on our shelves to not have to worry about it.

Prepping for this week's mega-shopping experience

In a previous post I mentioned that the deals didn't seem very awesome for the new grocery week.

I was wrong.  Very wrong.  So wrong that Chairman Meow is shocked at my wrongness.

Granted we don't have the "spend $15, get $5 back" deal going on, but a little creative thinking, judicious coupon use, and two transactions are adding up to a pretty impressive haul so far.  This week, to make things easier, I'm waiting on Sunday's batch of coupons so I can get everything done at once.  Tomorrow morning when we've got the newspapers I'll clip the ones I need, and we'll head off to the grocery in the afternoon to load up two carts' worth of stuff.

The highlights:
15lbs pasta: FREE
8 tubes toothpaste: FREE
8 packages Pillsbury Sweet Moments: FREE
2 cartons Greek yogurt: FREE
6 Speed Stick deodorants: FREE
2 36ct Playtex: FREE
1 bottle Advil: FREE
17 cans diced tomatoes: $.67ea
16 bags frozen veg: $.31ea
6 boxes pizza rolls: $.50ea (shush, guilty pleasure!)
5 multipacks yogurt parfaits: $.50ea
4lbs ground beef: $5
8 boxes sinus medication: $.50ea
4 Purex laundry detergent: $.99ea
1 Iams cat food: $.99
6 multipacks Ziploc storage containers: $1ea

There'll be some assorted other items, obviously, but that's the good stuff.  The only things without coupons we're planning to buy are two gallons of milk, some diet Pepsi, and some produce.


Then we'll head to Walgreen's where we'll pick up:
6 bags Halls cough drops
4 Crest toothpaste
which we'll get not just for free, but for a profit of $1.04


Not too shabby, eh?

Midweek multitasking

When I say 'midweek' I don't mean the real middle of the week.  This is midweek for my grocery store's sale period.  I've got two days now to finish up any last minute deals I want to do on last week's gravy train and two days to start laying a framework for the deals I'll get when Thursday's new sales begin.

Here you can see my work area on Sundays.  Yes, I clip, sort, and file my coupons in bed.  I'm not actually in bed, per se, just sitting on it with my circulars, stacks, envelopes, coupon file, and other weird sorting devices surrounding me in a fashion that only makes sense to me and would probably stupefy anyone else who might come across it.

I've mentioned before that I have a little accordion coupon file.  This has expanded slightly; the file contains the bulk of my coupons, but now all coupons that are being used on my next shopping trip go in a re-used envelope.  The coupons for the shopping trip after that go in one section of my file, and all other useful coupons are filed in their sections.  I have another envelope for products we don't regularly use but that I'll get if they're free or nearly free.  I have another envelope for all baby coupons to give to my sister.  I used to have an envelope for coupons to trade with others, but that overfilled quickly so I've moved on to a nifty cardboard box that used to house Wheat Thins snack stick thingies.  The "baby" envelope and the "only if it's free" envelope fit inside the box neatly and the box sits out of the way on a corner of my desk.  My ever-growing file and current-coupons envelope stay in my purse at all times.  Needless to say, I carry a large purse with many pockets.

So, last week.  Adding up the two trips, my no-sale, no-coupon shelf price total came to $317.43.  Our out of pocket cost was $42.47.  This amounts to a savings of $274.96, or 87%!
Oh, and a note: when I was looking over the receipts for my first trip, I realized that the deductions are calculated weird on said receipts.  I went through line items to determine the true shelf price and I did edit the 9/30 post to reflect my accurate 89% savings.

I have one more trip to make tomorrow to take advantage of a couple more OYNO Catalina deals and a bunch of freebies.  This is where we'll pick up some chicken, granola bars, a little produce and maybe some beef or pork with the remaining OYNOs I have.  After that, no more shopping until Friday or Saturday when I start in on next week's sales.

Next week isn't as great as this current one, sale-wise.  The standout for me is dirt cheap frozen veggies - 8 for $8, and you get a $3 OYNO which translates to 8 packages of frozen veg for $5.  That's a good price for non-coupon use, but I also have some $1/2 and $1/3 coupons which, if my math is correct, will net me 16 packs of frozen veg for a grand total of $5, or $.31ea.  Vegetable soup, anyone??
It also looks like there might be some free pasta and yogurt for $.125ea along with Energizer batteries and sinus medicine for a buck.  I'm eying dollar deodorant and $.50 toothpaste with interest.

I did a little trading last week and hope to have a few stacks of coupons in hand before Friday.  There should be at least a few I can use on this week's sales; maybe I'll find another fantastic deal or two.  Yes, people trade coupons.  I have no use for shaving cream (Andy's the bearded type), but someone else might be willing to send me canned tomato coupons in exchange for shaving cream coupons, or whatever products we don't use; rather than letting the savings go to waste, crazy coupon ladies trade amongst themselves.  Andy gives me funny looks and often outright laughs at me when I get all coupon-weird like this, but he does acknowledge that the amount of money we're saving is no laughing matter.

Now if only I could find some good trash bag deals!

How I plan a shopping trip

It's Monday.  Yesterday was coupon day: the Sunday paper insert.  Or, in my case, the Sunday paper inserts.  I knew what coupons were coming out ahead of time and there were some good ones, so I asked Andy to pick up three papers because he gets up stupid early and would get to the corner store before the papers were bought up.  Total cost: $6.  We need cheese, so the six $1 off Kraft coupons paid for the papers; every other coupon was straight savings.
I wish I'd had him grab a couple more.  This was an amazing coupon week.

When I look at the sales preview, I mainly look for two types of coupons:
1) Items that we need now or will need in the very near future.  Cheese, foil, canned tomatoes, Dawn dish soap and a few others jumped out at me.  These are items we're low on, that we use a lot of, and that I'm going to buy quickly.
2) Items (nonperishable) that we use which will shortly be on sale.  It's fall, Thanksgiving and the holiday baking season are approaching, so I know that things like chicken broth, evaporated milk, chocolate chips, cake mixes, flour, and so on will be on deep discount in the next month to six weeks.  This week's circular included coupons for broth, evaporated milk, cake mix, and food storage items (zip bags, plastic containers, etc) as standouts for our needs.  These are items with a very long shelf life, so using coupons on top of a good sale means when I need chicken broth in 4 months, I'll only have paid a few cents a can rather than over a buck each if I bought it as-needed.
There were also coupons for Maxwell House coffee; this is our preferred brand and I know by observation it tends to go on sale every couple months year-round at our grocery.  In addition, coffee prices are going through the roof.  I'd rather buy extra at today's lower prices than be stuck paying double two months from now.  Products with volatile pricing or seasonal availability (coffee, sugar, flour, canned pumpkin as examples) are well worth buying a few extras when the price is low.

So.

I spent a little time Sunday cutting out the coupons and filing them in my little accordion coupon folder.  I also use a couple envelopes - reused from incoming mail - for specific types of coupon: baby products for my sister, assorted products for my mom, items I'll only buy if they wind up free or nearly free after coupon, etc.

Nothing usually happens with the coupons for several days.  I file 'em and go on with my life.  By Sunday I've either done all the shopping I need to do or I have my existing coupons arranged and ready to go for an early-week trip.

Come Monday or Tuesday, though, the ad for the sales starting on Thursday hits the 'net.  Those ads aren't in homes until Wednesday, but there are folks with "connections" who post them online early.  I use the early post to start planning our shopping.

We've got a good one this week.  There's a "spend $15, get $5 OYNO" (off your next order) deal going on and many items I have coupons for are included.  So here's the rough framework I'm starting with: