I had a discussion yesterday with a friend who is a happy couponer. She was so excited to learn about the Dominick's coupon policy....so I figured I would remind everyone.
Dominick's will accept expired manufacturer coupons (up to year past the expiration date).
So don't toss those coupons away - especially if they are high value coupons!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
McCormick spices Catalina alert from Jewel
In looking over my receipt from my grocery run today, I noticed that I had a Catalina alert (probably due to the fact that I have been buying a lot of spices lately - have been cooking up a storm of healthy recipes that call for new additions to my seasonings).
Buy McCormick spices or extracts between 10/4/10 and 10/31/10 and SAVE up to $3.00 on your future order.
Buy (2) and get $1.50
Buy (3) or more and get $3.00
They actually have a new product out called Recipe Spice Cards, which are spice packs plus an accompanying recipe.
These packs cost about $1.50 and would qualify for the Catalina deal (the cheapest way of taking advantage of the deal).
So if you buy (2) packs, you'll pay $3.00 and get $1.50 on your next order (saving 50%)
If you buy (3) packs, you'll pay $4.50 and get $3.00 on you next order (saving 67%)
Happy Cooking!
Anyway, here is the deal:
Buy McCormick spices or extracts between 10/4/10 and 10/31/10 and SAVE up to $3.00 on your future order.
Buy (2) and get $1.50
Buy (3) or more and get $3.00
They actually have a new product out called Recipe Spice Cards, which are spice packs plus an accompanying recipe.
These packs cost about $1.50 and would qualify for the Catalina deal (the cheapest way of taking advantage of the deal).
So if you buy (2) packs, you'll pay $3.00 and get $1.50 on your next order (saving 50%)
If you buy (3) packs, you'll pay $4.50 and get $3.00 on you next order (saving 67%)
Happy Cooking!
Dean's Milk at CVS
A gallon of milk is $2.70, but if you have your Extra Care card, you'll get $1 back in Extra Care Bucks to use on your next order.
Meaning? A gallon of milk for $1.70
Meaning? A gallon of milk for $1.70
Great Catalina deal from General Mills
So I think my last post was about how much more expensive it is to eat healthy, particularly if you are on a low fat diet. It blows my mind that there aren't more coupons for low-fat stuff and/or produce. It's rare when you find them and seems crazy to me. I think we should be encouraging families to eat healthier, rather than giving them endless coupons for high fat, high sugar snacks. Don't get me wrong, sometimes that's exactly the type of snack you need...I"m just saying.
However, until at least Wednesday, General Mills has a great Catalina deal going on at Jewel. Check out Mashup Mom's blog for more specific on the deal. However, I was able to purchase 13 boxes of the Green giant frozen BOXED veggies (specifically the ones that Jewel has on sale for 10/$10). In doing so, I got a Catalina back that said $10 off my next order from General Mills. So that means that I paid $3 for the frozen veggies. Oh wait...I also used two coupons, which means I really paid $1.80 for all those veggies. Woo hoo!!!! Going back to Jewel today to use my $10. The only bad thing about this deal is that the selection of veggies available is determined by your local Jewel. Mine had a lot of the buttered and creamed options (totally not the best health-wise), but there was some good options. Chopped spinach, mixed medleys, etc.
Also, I noticed that Crest toothpaste is currently $1 at Jewel. From the past couple of weeks, I have several coupons for Crest toothpaste. Some are $1 off (meaning the toothpaste would be free) and some are $0.75 and $0.50....not a bad deal. Gonna go stock up!
However, until at least Wednesday, General Mills has a great Catalina deal going on at Jewel. Check out Mashup Mom's blog for more specific on the deal. However, I was able to purchase 13 boxes of the Green giant frozen BOXED veggies (specifically the ones that Jewel has on sale for 10/$10). In doing so, I got a Catalina back that said $10 off my next order from General Mills. So that means that I paid $3 for the frozen veggies. Oh wait...I also used two coupons, which means I really paid $1.80 for all those veggies. Woo hoo!!!! Going back to Jewel today to use my $10. The only bad thing about this deal is that the selection of veggies available is determined by your local Jewel. Mine had a lot of the buttered and creamed options (totally not the best health-wise), but there was some good options. Chopped spinach, mixed medleys, etc.
Also, I noticed that Crest toothpaste is currently $1 at Jewel. From the past couple of weeks, I have several coupons for Crest toothpaste. Some are $1 off (meaning the toothpaste would be free) and some are $0.75 and $0.50....not a bad deal. Gonna go stock up!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Eating Healthy is not Cheap
So I've recently gotten on a kick to eat healthier (using a lot of weight watchers recipes), and I'm realizing that it is not cheap to eat healthy and that coupons are hard to come by for the stuff in these recipes.
I'm going to do my best in sharing any deals I find as I know that many of us want to eat better in general.
Off to do a little shopping at Jewel. I'll report back on how it goes!
I'm going to do my best in sharing any deals I find as I know that many of us want to eat better in general.
Off to do a little shopping at Jewel. I'll report back on how it goes!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Free tampon sample plus $1 off coupon
Today the Daily Candy listserve sent out a posting about the new Playtex Sport tampon product.
You can sign up to receive a free sample (which will arrive in 4-6 weeks). The free sample will include 2 regular unscented, 1 super unscented, and a your coupon.
To get your free sample, go here.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
http://www.mashupmom.com/?p=31886
Mashup Mom posted that Amazon is having a HUGE toy clearance sale. I definitely purchased several Christmas gifts....so check it out.
I believe I got 7 items for under $50!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Sept 15th - Free Dessert Day from OpenTable
Free Dessert Day!*
Wednesday, September 15
Celebrate the premiere of Top Chef Just Desserts with a free dessert! Just make an online reservation and dine at one of the restaurants below on September 15, and you will get a free dessert for every 2 diners at your table. Each person must order a minimum of one entrée. See list below for participating restaurants and their meal participation.
Tune in September 15 to watch the premiere of Top Chef Just Desserts on BRAVO!
*Note: Can not be combined with any other offer, event, discount or promotion. Each person must order a minimum of one entrée. Not all restaurants on OpenTable.com are participating in Free Dessert Day.
More details here.
$1 off Frappuccino
Thanks to my fashionista-side and the wonderful Daily Candy emails, I happened upon a $1 off coupon for a frappuccino (the kind you buy at the grocery store).
All you have to do is "create" a new label...enter it...and print out your coupon! Enjoy!
http://www.frappuccino.com/drink-builder/bottled?b=1
Saturday, August 28, 2010
$0.25 Colgate toothpaste and $0.60 Colgate toothbrush
Jewel has Colgate toothpaste and toothbrushes for $1 this week. In this weekend's paper, there are coupons for both. I can't remember if it was the redplum or smartsource insert. I clipped it all out before I took note.
$0.75 off toothpaste
$0.40 off toothbrushes
Nice time to stock up :)
One Week Free Yoga - it's Yoga Month!
CorePower Yoga is offering the chance to try out an unlimited amount of classes for one week. This applies to new accounts only.
http://www.corepoweryoga.com/YogaforBeginners/FreeYoga.aspx
Once the week is over, they are also offering a great deal for a one month of unlimited classes for $89 (at least in Chicago). Normally, the one month unlimited is about $130.
I'm taking advantage of this deal tomorrow!
Free Wheat Thins at CVS this week (8/29)
In the new ad book, CVS has Wheat Thins as part of the 10/$10 deal.
If you go to the Wheat Thins facebook page, you can print up a $1 off your next purchase.
Which means.....FREE!
If you go to the Wheat Thins facebook page, you can print up a $1 off your next purchase.
Which means.....FREE!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Week Four Results
I really can't believe this....but in the four weeks that I have started couponing and shopping smartly, I have saved a grand total of: $274.38
That may not seem like a ton of money, but that's $274.38 that I could use somewhere else...pay off debt primarily. Watching where I spend money has been revolutionary for me. I was a spend-a-holic! Just becuase there was a deal...I would purchase. I wouldn't pay attention to weather or not the advertised sale was an actual deal nor evaluated whether I really need to buy that item.
I am a changed woman!
Now don't get me wrong...I will still splurge on the things that I want, and there are some things that I'm a brand snob about (mostly make-up), so I'm not being crazy frugal....just smarter with my money.
My goal is to pay off my credit card debts by my birthday in January....happy birthday to me! Then I can concentrate on actually putting money into savings. Slow and steady I go!
That may not seem like a ton of money, but that's $274.38 that I could use somewhere else...pay off debt primarily. Watching where I spend money has been revolutionary for me. I was a spend-a-holic! Just becuase there was a deal...I would purchase. I wouldn't pay attention to weather or not the advertised sale was an actual deal nor evaluated whether I really need to buy that item.
I am a changed woman!
Now don't get me wrong...I will still splurge on the things that I want, and there are some things that I'm a brand snob about (mostly make-up), so I'm not being crazy frugal....just smarter with my money.
My goal is to pay off my credit card debts by my birthday in January....happy birthday to me! Then I can concentrate on actually putting money into savings. Slow and steady I go!
| Date | Store | Amount of Receipt | Amount Saved | Amount Earned | % Saved |
| 8/15/2010 | CVS | 3.33 | 6 | 3 | 73 |
| 8/18/2010 | Target | 28.4 | 5.02 | 0 | 15 |
| 8/18/2010 | Michaels | 3.92 | 0 | 3.92 rebate | 100 |
| 8/18/2010 | Walgreens | 22.06 | 3.68 | 0 | 14.3 |
| 8/21/2010 | Jewel-Osco | 0.99 | 1 | 0 | 50.3 |
| 8/21/2010 | Dominicks | 26.48 | 10.96 | 0 | 29.3 |
| 8/21/2010 | Staples | 43.95 | 11 | 6 | 27.9 |
| 8/21/2010 | Dunkin Donuts | 1.97 | 1.97 free | 0 | 100 |
| Total | 131.1 | 39.63 | 12.92 | 28.9 |
Do Not Double/Do Not Triple
I have this statement on many of the manufacturer coupons that I print up off sites like coupons.com, redplum.com, etc. I assumed it meant that you couldn't use both a store and a manufacturer coupon for the same item.
From what I can tell, that is not the case. It has to do with stores that have "double coupon" days....and the branding is more for the store than for us because it would mean that the manufacturer will only reimburse them for the face value of the coupon.
Here is a great example that I found:
"So, for example, if you have a 50-cent coupon and the store doubles it to $1, the manufacturer will pay the store back 50 cents for the coupon, plus that 8 cents for handling. But the other 42 cents comes out of the store's pocket. Many stores choose to go ahead and double coupons anyway because it's a way to compete with other stores in the super-competitive grocery industry. And that is really good for shoppers!"
From what I can tell, that is not the case. It has to do with stores that have "double coupon" days....and the branding is more for the store than for us because it would mean that the manufacturer will only reimburse them for the face value of the coupon.
Here is a great example that I found:
"So, for example, if you have a 50-cent coupon and the store doubles it to $1, the manufacturer will pay the store back 50 cents for the coupon, plus that 8 cents for handling. But the other 42 cents comes out of the store's pocket. Many stores choose to go ahead and double coupons anyway because it's a way to compete with other stores in the super-competitive grocery industry. And that is really good for shoppers!"
Thursday, August 19, 2010
I've added tabs!
I know that that there are some common questions for specific stores and organizing, so I've created tabs for each at the tab of this blog. It has taken me forever to figure out how to do this (hence the weird color). I'll eventually try to change the color of the tabs, but for now I'm going to concentrate on filling in each section with useful info for you!
I feel like such a computer geek right now! Ha!
The Organize Tab is content rich - hope it's helpful. Let me know if you have any additional questions that I should consider adding.
I feel like such a computer geek right now! Ha!
The Organize Tab is content rich - hope it's helpful. Let me know if you have any additional questions that I should consider adding.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
I'm gonna try out the Binder method
Oh my goodness....I was afraid to try this, but I was starting to lose my mind with all the stacks of coupons in my expandable file folder. The store specific coupons are much easier to manage in an expandable file folder.
But the amount of manufacturer coupons is started to get crazy and so are the multiple copies of redplum and smartsource....so I ordered the baseball card holders to try out the binder method.
I ventured onto a new site called Cuckoo for Coupon Deals (link to her site is in my coupon guru section) awhile ago and I posted a video of her binder organization. In that video she mentioned that she would be posting her binder categories on her page. I took a peek this evening and jotted down the ones I liked for me.
Here is a list of her categories...
I am about to start sorting the coupons....will post an update (and hopefully picture) later tonight!
But the amount of manufacturer coupons is started to get crazy and so are the multiple copies of redplum and smartsource....so I ordered the baseball card holders to try out the binder method.
I ventured onto a new site called Cuckoo for Coupon Deals (link to her site is in my coupon guru section) awhile ago and I posted a video of her binder organization. In that video she mentioned that she would be posting her binder categories on her page. I took a peek this evening and jotted down the ones I liked for me.
Here is a list of her categories...
I am about to start sorting the coupons....will post an update (and hopefully picture) later tonight!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Week Three Results
It's that time of the week again....the time I get to crunch the numbers and see where savings were made and how much additional payments a credit card will get it.
Because of my crazy work week and less need for items, I shopped smart and less than my first weeks. I've mentioned that I'm really concentrating on buying things that I need and if they make me money, it's a bonus. I'm really trying to avoid buying things for the sake of buying of them. I feel like some people who super coupon have stock piles of items that they'll never use or that they then have to donate. Though I understand that they are often free items...I just don't get how you get to the point where you have garages full of "extra" stuff.
Enough of my soap box.....here are this week's savings!
Because of my crazy work week and less need for items, I shopped smart and less than my first weeks. I've mentioned that I'm really concentrating on buying things that I need and if they make me money, it's a bonus. I'm really trying to avoid buying things for the sake of buying of them. I feel like some people who super coupon have stock piles of items that they'll never use or that they then have to donate. Though I understand that they are often free items...I just don't get how you get to the point where you have garages full of "extra" stuff.
Enough of my soap box.....here are this week's savings!
| Date | Store | Amount of Receipt | Amount Saved | Amount Earned | % Saved |
| 8/8/2010 | CVS | 17.12 | 14.02 | 5 | 52.6 |
| 8/8/2010 | Jewel-Osco | 0.99 | 1 | 0 | 50.3 |
| 8/9/2010 | Jewel-Osco | 39.28 | 0.4 | 0 | 1 |
| 8/12/2010 | Dominick's | 48.53 | 30.92 | 2.5 | 40.8 |
| Total | 105.92 | 46.34 | 7.5 | 33.7 |
Sunday, August 15, 2010
I spent $0.33 on my order today :)
Have I mentioned that I love CVS....well, today solidified it for me!
Last week, I took advantage of the Garnier Fructise last week. Spend $15 on their products (I bought shampoo and conditioner) and get $5 in extra care buck.
Today, I saw that there was a deal on a gallon of milk -- $2.79 and you get $1 in extra care bucks.
Head and Shoulders shampoo was $4.99 and you get $2 in extra care bucks. I know that I just bought shampoo yesterday but I do use H&S, so why not stock up a bit.
So my subtotal was $8.33.
I used the $5 is extra care bucks, which means that my new subtotal was $3.33 (what I actually paid the cashier).
In return, I got $3 to use on my next order.
Which means? I only paid $0.33 for my whole order.
Coupon Win!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last week, I took advantage of the Garnier Fructise last week. Spend $15 on their products (I bought shampoo and conditioner) and get $5 in extra care buck.
Today, I saw that there was a deal on a gallon of milk -- $2.79 and you get $1 in extra care bucks.
Head and Shoulders shampoo was $4.99 and you get $2 in extra care bucks. I know that I just bought shampoo yesterday but I do use H&S, so why not stock up a bit.
So my subtotal was $8.33.
I used the $5 is extra care bucks, which means that my new subtotal was $3.33 (what I actually paid the cashier).
In return, I got $3 to use on my next order.
Which means? I only paid $0.33 for my whole order.
Coupon Win!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, August 13, 2010
I've monetized!
Here goes nothing!
On the encouragement of a my friend, Mel, I went ahead and set up my blog to potentially make me some money.
So if you see a link/advertisement that looks interesting....click away!
On the encouragement of a my friend, Mel, I went ahead and set up my blog to potentially make me some money.
So if you see a link/advertisement that looks interesting....click away!
My family is converting....slowly but surely
As you all know, I've become a nut when it comes to searching for coupons and shopping smart. I'm amazed by how much I never noticed in the past and by how much I can actually save by having a fridge full of food. I used to dread the idea of grocery shopping and would have nothing but bare essentials. I tended to eat out a lot! Because I have no dependents, I never actually saw the impact on my budget. I just spent what I wanted when I wanted.
Couponing has forced me to evaluate how I spend my money and where I spend it.
In the now three weeks of couponing, I have only eaten out twice....once out of necessity (worked a day long event and had no access to a fridge for a brown bag lunch).
The fun part, however, has been watching some of my family members start to read my blog and start to embark on their own penny pinching journeys. Though the art public followers of this blog, they have sent me fun messages. I thought I would share some of my favorite postings...
Couponing has forced me to evaluate how I spend my money and where I spend it.
In the now three weeks of couponing, I have only eaten out twice....once out of necessity (worked a day long event and had no access to a fridge for a brown bag lunch).
The fun part, however, has been watching some of my family members start to read my blog and start to embark on their own penny pinching journeys. Though the art public followers of this blog, they have sent me fun messages. I thought I would share some of my favorite postings...
Cousin Alma
you would be proud of me...this AM I went to Walgreens and saw erasable pens $1 a pack limit 4 w/ coupon....compositions books 5 for $1 w/ coupon...and nice pencil cases for $.99 on sale 1/2 the original price....and good thing I was checking the register because at 1st the total was coming out to be close to $20...but ...after all the double checking I got it down to $7!!!! Woo-hoo!!!!
Cousin Sandra
I saved $14 yesterday and ended up paying only $30 at Meijers. Nubia, you have converted us all!
I somehow made money at Staples!
So last week, Illinois had a reduced tax week (elimination of the State tax for a week). I printed up the list of qualifying items and saw that double sided tape was an approved item. I use a lot of double sided tape in my scrapbooking business, so I decided to drive to the burbs (no city tax) to buy myself some double sided tape.
There was a huge line of folks, so I didn't check the receipt until I got home. Doh! I realized that I did not receive my reduced taxes. So I printed up the list and took another trip to the burbs. I also had received a $5 off $25 coupon in the mail, so I wanted to tack that on to my purchase.
When I arrived at Staples, the manager was confused that the system didn't automatically take off the sales tax...so he decided to see if it was only on a particular size of the double sided tape. OF COURSE it was. So I changed it up and took advantage of my $5 off coupon.
Well now that I'm couponing crazy, I started to do the math. I figured out the cost of the tape per inch...and low and behold, I was totally screwed when moving to the "approved" size. So the next day, I went back to the staples right by my house to return the tape.
What I was shocked to discover was that I made $5 by doing this?! I know that I submitted a $5 off coupon, but I never actually paid that money, so I would imagine that I should only get back the amount I paid, right?
Guess not!
Thanks for the $5 Staples!
There was a huge line of folks, so I didn't check the receipt until I got home. Doh! I realized that I did not receive my reduced taxes. So I printed up the list and took another trip to the burbs. I also had received a $5 off $25 coupon in the mail, so I wanted to tack that on to my purchase.
When I arrived at Staples, the manager was confused that the system didn't automatically take off the sales tax...so he decided to see if it was only on a particular size of the double sided tape. OF COURSE it was. So I changed it up and took advantage of my $5 off coupon.
Well now that I'm couponing crazy, I started to do the math. I figured out the cost of the tape per inch...and low and behold, I was totally screwed when moving to the "approved" size. So the next day, I went back to the staples right by my house to return the tape.
What I was shocked to discover was that I made $5 by doing this?! I know that I submitted a $5 off coupon, but I never actually paid that money, so I would imagine that I should only get back the amount I paid, right?
Guess not!
Thanks for the $5 Staples!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
My Sunday Ritual
So tomorrow morning (I mean today) is Sunday....and so starts my new Sunday ritual. First thing I do is go pick up my Sunday paper and store guides (CVS and Walgreens only as Dominick's and Jewel have new ones that come out on Wednesdays and those are usually included in the Sunday paper).
This month, the Sunday Chicago Tribune (which tends to have more coupons) is apparently on sale for $0.99 at Jewel...so I'll totally be picking up my paper there for now. Some super couponers buy more than one paper...I'm not quite there as I'm only feeding myself right now. I think if I had a family, I might consider buying multiple papers so that you get multiple copies of the coupons to use. I don't think I'm there yet.
Once I've picked up all the store books and the paper, I come back home to start the clipping and organizing. I haven't done any shopping on Sundays yet as I like to plan out what I might buy first AND I like to take advantage of the postings by bloggers like Jill Cataldo and Mashup Mom who help me understand what coupons I can use in the current week to get the best deal.
So first thing I do is label any of the coupon booklets from the paper - the Red Plum, SmartSource and/or P&G. Sometimes you'll get more than one of each which is kinda great :) Before I file them, I look through them to see if there is anything I might buy and clip only those coupons. If I do find anything, I'll also go through the older ones to see if I can use multiple coupons for that one item.
I then painstakingly go through the other coupon inserts in the paper to see if there is anything. I'll clip the CVS, Walgreens, Dominicks and Jewel booklet coupons that I know I'll use and put those in my little expandable folder. Since I won't destroy the store books completely, I'll put these as extra copies in my larger expandable folder to help plan any future shopping that week.
Make sure to look at every page....you'll be surprised how much stuff is there sometimes.
Also, now that I have clipped for three Sundays, I've had to start organizing my coupons better since I'm not ready to upgrade into the full binder. I'm paperclipping my grocery section into themes.....snacks, dairy, bread, cereal, etc. This should help me from having to constantly go through every coupon in that section. Here is what is currently looks like.
Before I go shopping on Monday night...I make a list of the things I need and I STICK to that list as much as possible. I also make sure to explore any money making possibilities at CVS because the Extra Care Bucks are great to buy some of those extra household items that never seem to go on sale.
That's my chaotic process....not completely figured out yet, but this is how I do it for now.
This month, the Sunday Chicago Tribune (which tends to have more coupons) is apparently on sale for $0.99 at Jewel...so I'll totally be picking up my paper there for now. Some super couponers buy more than one paper...I'm not quite there as I'm only feeding myself right now. I think if I had a family, I might consider buying multiple papers so that you get multiple copies of the coupons to use. I don't think I'm there yet.
Once I've picked up all the store books and the paper, I come back home to start the clipping and organizing. I haven't done any shopping on Sundays yet as I like to plan out what I might buy first AND I like to take advantage of the postings by bloggers like Jill Cataldo and Mashup Mom who help me understand what coupons I can use in the current week to get the best deal.
So first thing I do is label any of the coupon booklets from the paper - the Red Plum, SmartSource and/or P&G. Sometimes you'll get more than one of each which is kinda great :) Before I file them, I look through them to see if there is anything I might buy and clip only those coupons. If I do find anything, I'll also go through the older ones to see if I can use multiple coupons for that one item.
I then painstakingly go through the other coupon inserts in the paper to see if there is anything. I'll clip the CVS, Walgreens, Dominicks and Jewel booklet coupons that I know I'll use and put those in my little expandable folder. Since I won't destroy the store books completely, I'll put these as extra copies in my larger expandable folder to help plan any future shopping that week.
Make sure to look at every page....you'll be surprised how much stuff is there sometimes.
Also, now that I have clipped for three Sundays, I've had to start organizing my coupons better since I'm not ready to upgrade into the full binder. I'm paperclipping my grocery section into themes.....snacks, dairy, bread, cereal, etc. This should help me from having to constantly go through every coupon in that section. Here is what is currently looks like.
Before I go shopping on Monday night...I make a list of the things I need and I STICK to that list as much as possible. I also make sure to explore any money making possibilities at CVS because the Extra Care Bucks are great to buy some of those extra household items that never seem to go on sale.
That's my chaotic process....not completely figured out yet, but this is how I do it for now.
Let's talk Organization
I received a request to document my process on Sundays. I'm happy to oblige :) I'm still figuring things out of course, but here is what is currently working for me.
First let's talk organization. Instead of a binder, I've opted for expandable folders - a small one to carry in my purse and a larger one to always keep with me (it's either on me or in my car). Anyway, here is how they are organized.
The little binder has my clipped coupons by categories...
I also have a few notes on it to remind me of the good stuff.
The larger expandable file folder holds the Red Plum, P&G and Smartsource coupon "book" you get in the paper. I don't clip the coupons in these because I've found that the super bloggers give you good tips by date of the "book." I instead, put a label on my booklets with the date that they are from and stash them in the larger file folder. I also keep a current copy of the Jewel, CVS, Dominicks and Walgreens sales booklets. They help me shop smartly. This is what the larger file folder looks like.
If you feel a binder might be a better option for you....here is a good video on how some of the super couponers organize their stuff. I'm not at this point, but it seems to work for many, many people...so I might (eek!) one day end up with one of these.
First let's talk organization. Instead of a binder, I've opted for expandable folders - a small one to carry in my purse and a larger one to always keep with me (it's either on me or in my car). Anyway, here is how they are organized.
The little binder has my clipped coupons by categories...
I also have a few notes on it to remind me of the good stuff.
The larger expandable file folder holds the Red Plum, P&G and Smartsource coupon "book" you get in the paper. I don't clip the coupons in these because I've found that the super bloggers give you good tips by date of the "book." I instead, put a label on my booklets with the date that they are from and stash them in the larger file folder. I also keep a current copy of the Jewel, CVS, Dominicks and Walgreens sales booklets. They help me shop smartly. This is what the larger file folder looks like.
If you feel a binder might be a better option for you....here is a good video on how some of the super couponers organize their stuff. I'm not at this point, but it seems to work for many, many people...so I might (eek!) one day end up with one of these.
Friday, August 6, 2010
IL Sales Tax Holiday
Today started the beginning of the IL Sales Tax Holiday (August 6-15th), and I wanted to take advantage of the decrease is sales taxes to purchase something I know I use a lot of - DOUBLE SIDED tape.
If you know me, you know that I am a small business owner of a custom scrapbook design company. I'm the President and CEO of Just Remember Scrapbooks, Inc. and the sole employee. Small, small business - ha!
Anyway, I discovered long ago that double sided tape is acid-free and much cheaper to buy to use on projects, so I'm always looking for sales to take advantage of when purchasing it. I had pulled up the IL Dept of Revenue's list of qualifying items at work and saw that double sided tape was on the list. Score!
Unfortunately, I took a trip out to the burbs today to purchase the tape (minus the extra City of Chicago tax), and I realized that I was charged the full rate of taxes. Sad face!
Of course I didn't have the print out document that proved this item was on sale and there was a huge line of people behind me, so I paid the full amount knowing that I will be going back with PROOF to get my discount.
Word to the wise while shopping, print up the list of qualifying items here!
If you know me, you know that I am a small business owner of a custom scrapbook design company. I'm the President and CEO of Just Remember Scrapbooks, Inc. and the sole employee. Small, small business - ha!
Anyway, I discovered long ago that double sided tape is acid-free and much cheaper to buy to use on projects, so I'm always looking for sales to take advantage of when purchasing it. I had pulled up the IL Dept of Revenue's list of qualifying items at work and saw that double sided tape was on the list. Score!
Unfortunately, I took a trip out to the burbs today to purchase the tape (minus the extra City of Chicago tax), and I realized that I was charged the full rate of taxes. Sad face!
Of course I didn't have the print out document that proved this item was on sale and there was a huge line of people behind me, so I paid the full amount knowing that I will be going back with PROOF to get my discount.
Word to the wise while shopping, print up the list of qualifying items here!
Week Two Results
I'm a little early with Week Two results, but I know I won't be shopping anymore this weekend. I'll also be working and/or running around all day, so shopping week two is officially over.
Anyway...I crunched my numbers and am proud to say that I have once again saved a plenty!
Because I still have plenty of funds to get me through the end of the month, I went ahead and sent the $72 saved to my highest interest credit card! Woo hoo! An extra payment this month!
CVS didn't really have any great deals for me this week, and I didn't see a way to earn any money by buying things that I needed. I can't justify buying things I don't necessarily need when I have debt.
Forget that...I hope to never buy things to just buy them.
Anyway...I crunched my numbers and am proud to say that I have once again saved a plenty!
| Date | Store | Amount of Receipt | Amount Saved | Amount Earned | % Saved |
| 8/2/2010 | PetCo | 31.41 | 3.99 | 0 | 11.3 |
| 8/2/2010 | Dominick's | 74.7 | 45.01 | 0 | 37.6 |
| 8/3/2010 | Walgreens | 7.17 | 4.38 | 0 | 37.9 |
| 8/3/2010 | Staples | 22.69 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8/3/2010 | Target | 8.43 | 3.68 | 0 | 30.4 |
| 8/6/2010 | Target | 6.5 | 1.75 | 0 | 21.2 |
| 8/6/2010 | Jewel-Osco | 35.03 | 13.19 | 0 | 27.4 |
| Total | 185.93 | 72 | 0 | 27.9 |
Because I still have plenty of funds to get me through the end of the month, I went ahead and sent the $72 saved to my highest interest credit card! Woo hoo! An extra payment this month!
CVS didn't really have any great deals for me this week, and I didn't see a way to earn any money by buying things that I needed. I can't justify buying things I don't necessarily need when I have debt.
Forget that...I hope to never buy things to just buy them.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Some additional things to remember!
Besides the useful links, there were a couple of other important items shared. Tips to remember at the individual stores.
Happy shopping!!!!
- Dominick's accepts expired manufacturer coupons
- some CVS stores accept expired bucks....from what I've read it's only if they just expired.
- Every time you walk into CVS, look for the kiosk where you scan your card. Once you scan your Extra Care card, coupons will print out the side of the kiosk.
- Jewel-Osco does not accept coupons that say "Free" item, but they do accept "Buy One, Get One Free"
- Jewel-Osco accepts Walgreens Register Rewards
Happy shopping!!!!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Some useful additions to the blog
I was scolded for not having posted some of the most useful information I've gotten to date. I'm still working on posting links to everything, but keep an eye to the right side of my blog. Here you will see:
A girl could get used to this couponing thing....
Also, I've had a blast converting many people in my life...my manager, my coworkers, my interns, and my friend (and boss's wife!). LOL. It's awesome. Gotta work on the many family members in my life!
- The Couponing Gurus - they give you step by step guides on what coupons to use to get the best deal at specific stores. It's pretty awesome to see how they do it!
- Places for eCoupons - here are links to load your Safeway and Jewel-Osco card.
A girl could get used to this couponing thing....
Also, I've had a blast converting many people in my life...my manager, my coworkers, my interns, and my friend (and boss's wife!). LOL. It's awesome. Gotta work on the many family members in my life!
Monday, August 2, 2010
First Month Debt Reduction
So couponing isn't going to eliminate my debt alone, but it will help me put in that extra bit on any current debt. I've decided that I will tackle my bad debt first (along with keeping up with my car payments and student loans). I previously reported an estimate of my bad debt (credit cards)...but I was off a bit. I actually owe a bit more than I first reported.
Because I get paid at the end of the month, my August update is already here (one week after I started couponing). I'm pleased as punch to see my progress...and happy to see that my additional $100 in savings from couponing have already gone to helping pay off a debt.
Here is my August 2010 update (smiling with pride). I'm hoping to be free of this debt by my next birthday (January). Wish me luck!
Because I get paid at the end of the month, my August update is already here (one week after I started couponing). I'm pleased as punch to see my progress...and happy to see that my additional $100 in savings from couponing have already gone to helping pay off a debt.
Here is my August 2010 update (smiling with pride). I'm hoping to be free of this debt by my next birthday (January). Wish me luck!
| Account | July Debt | August Debt | |
| 1 | 323.64 | 223.64 | |
| 2 | 1888.52 | 1813.52 | |
| 3 | 2434.46 | 2434.46 | |
| 4 | 200 | 0 | paid in full |
| 5 | 400 | 0 | paid in full |
| 6 | 274.75 | 0 | paid in full |
| 7 | 260 | 0 | paid in full |
| 5781.37 | 4471.62 | 23% reduced |
Week One Results
Oh my goodness....I crunched my numbers...and the results are amazing!
Because I never really shopped by sales (or by using my savings card), I'm also counting how much I saved in the store card savings (along with the actual coupons). I then took the amount saved + the amount earned (roughly $110) and put it into an additional payment for one of my outstanding credit cards. Here is my detailed breakdown for week one.
Because I never really shopped by sales (or by using my savings card), I'm also counting how much I saved in the store card savings (along with the actual coupons). I then took the amount saved + the amount earned (roughly $110) and put it into an additional payment for one of my outstanding credit cards. Here is my detailed breakdown for week one.
| Date | Store | Amount of Receipt | Amount Saved | Amount Earned | % Saved | |||||
| 7/27 | CVS | 52.93 | 6.75 | 16.99 | 31 | |||||
| 7/28 | CVS | 5.41 | 29.64 | 0 | 84.6 | |||||
| 7/29 | Jewel-Osco | 15.59 | 6.49 | 0 | 29.4 | |||||
| 7/30 | Jewel-Osco | 10.82 | 3.99 | 0 | 26.9 | |||||
| 7/30 | Dominick's | 82.06 | 34.72 | 0 | 29.7 | |||||
| 8/1 | Walgreens | 24.78 | 14.4 | 0 | 36.8 | |||||
| 8/1 | CVS | 2.84 | 0 | 1 | 26 | |||||
| Total | 194.43 | 95.99 | 17.99 | 37 |
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Other Shops
First - if you bring in empty ink cartridges (Lexmark, HP, Dell, Kodak, Brother, Cannon, Epson), Staples will give you $2 in Staples rewards per cartridge. Also, if you have a rewards card, you will get 10% off each new ink cartridge purchase.
Note: Apparently, the $2 per cartridge will arrive later (it's not immediately deducted). You can recycle up to 10 cartridges per month.
Second - Staples does accept manufacturer AND my local store stated that they accept competitor's coupons!
Jewel
I'm still having a hard time loving shopping at Jewel. They aren't the friendliest with coupons, but they do have a store sponsored site where you can upload coupons to your card which is nice.
Special note: Jewel-Osco does not accept "Free" internet coupons, but they do accept "Buy One, Get One Free" coupons. Depending on the cashier and/ore manager, they may tell you different and not budge. I tried getting a written policy and OF COURSE no one could find it for me.
Dominick's
UPDATE: Dominick's NO LONGER takes expired coupons and have drastically changed their policy. I honestly haven't shopped at Dominick's since the change, so I need to do a little homework on it before updating this section.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Because I live in the Chicagoland area, my Safeway store is Dominick's. Until I had learned how to use coupons, I avoided Dominick's stores like the plague because I thought it was more expensive than some of my other local choices.
Little did I know....Dominick's accepts EXPIRED manufacturer coupons. So all these years that I've looked at "good" coupons and thrown them out....I could have used them at Dominick's!
It's officially one of my new favorite places to shop and one of the primary reasons why I had to finally create a binder!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Because I live in the Chicagoland area, my Safeway store is Dominick's. Until I had learned how to use coupons, I avoided Dominick's stores like the plague because I thought it was more expensive than some of my other local choices.
Little did I know....Dominick's accepts EXPIRED manufacturer coupons. So all these years that I've looked at "good" coupons and thrown them out....I could have used them at Dominick's!
It's officially one of my new favorite places to shop and one of the primary reasons why I had to finally create a binder!
Also, it's the only store that allows you to upload e-coupons (list of sites on the right side bar) directly to your savings card from multiple sources (Jewel only has one site). Often times, you'll forget you have those e-coupons and end up doubling up the savings by also handing over a paper coupon. It's a sweet, sweet surprise.
Shop CVS
I LOOOOOOOVE shopping at CVS. Why? Because it is the one place where I am almost always guaranteed to make money.
What?! You read that right.....with some skill, you can almost always make money at CVS and here is how you go about planning your shopping trip to CVS.
First thing - make sure you have an ExtraCare Rewards card. If you don't have one, make sure to sign up at your next visit to CVS.
Then pick up the CVS sales catalog and look for items that earn you extra care bucks. The advertisement looks like this:
Let's say you suffer from heartburn and you know that you use these products on a regular basis. Well, in this particular week's advertisement, you could take advantage of this rewards deal. By buying two of these products, you would get $4 in extra care bucks after your purchase to use on the NEXT purchase.
So the first time you try this...you would pay the full $16 for two Pepcid Complete bottles and get $4 in extra care bucks to use on your next order.
So what does an extra care buck look like? It's a print out at the end of your receipt. Coupon Gal had a great image that I'm borrowing. It highlights all the important items!
You can use multiple printouts per transaction.....so if you have $20 saved up in your files and your order is over $20...feel free to use them all!
Lastly, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS scan your card at the Coupon Kiosk when you walk in the door. When you scan your card, it will print out coupons to the side. I usually get two coupons every time I swipe. The kiosk looks like this:
Organize
My first post on organizing my coupons was a good way to start, but as I have continued on this journey for a month...I quickly realized that my expandable file folder method was not going to work for me after all.
I actually decided to take a stab at the dreaded coupon binder that all the true super couponers use. I was hesitant to start on this route because I thought it looked foolish to carry around a binder like this.
Little did I know....I was the foolish one.
After 7 hours of clipping and organizing a month's worth of coupons, I saw the light. The binder is a god-send! I've gone out for some items since organizing the binder of manufacturer coupons (I still keep an expandable file folder for the store coupons for now as they expire regularly), and saw the utility in being able to find something quickly.
First thing.....purchase a BUNCH of baseball card holder sheets. I bought a pack of 100 to split with my cousin thinking that there was no way I would be able to use that many. Oh man....I think I'm going to have buy more sheets soon. I only have about 5 left. I thought I would be able to find them cheap on ebay, but it actually ended up being a lot cheaper to get them through amazon. Who woulda thunk it!
Second.....make a list of the categories that I thought would work for me. These are the ones that work best for me. You can clearly customize to what works for you.
Because I only have a month's worth of coupons, I used a 1.5 inch binder. I'm sure that I'll eventually upgrade.
Lastly...I bought a packet of make your own tabs at Staples that I could attach to any page I wanted. This helped eliminate the need for dividers which would have taken up room in my binder. I used my favorite label maker to make the tiny labels needed.
And this is what the final binder looks like!
I actually decided to take a stab at the dreaded coupon binder that all the true super couponers use. I was hesitant to start on this route because I thought it looked foolish to carry around a binder like this.
Little did I know....I was the foolish one.
After 7 hours of clipping and organizing a month's worth of coupons, I saw the light. The binder is a god-send! I've gone out for some items since organizing the binder of manufacturer coupons (I still keep an expandable file folder for the store coupons for now as they expire regularly), and saw the utility in being able to find something quickly.
First thing.....purchase a BUNCH of baseball card holder sheets. I bought a pack of 100 to split with my cousin thinking that there was no way I would be able to use that many. Oh man....I think I'm going to have buy more sheets soon. I only have about 5 left. I thought I would be able to find them cheap on ebay, but it actually ended up being a lot cheaper to get them through amazon. Who woulda thunk it!
Second.....make a list of the categories that I thought would work for me. These are the ones that work best for me. You can clearly customize to what works for you.
- Air Fresheners/Candles
- Baby
- Baking
- Breads/Cereals
- Candy
- Cleaning
- Condiments/Salad Dressings
- Dairy
- Deodorant/Razors
- Drinks/Sodas
- Feminine Hygiene
- Frozen
- Hair Care
- Health
- Lotion/Body Washes
- Make-Up
- Meat
- Pasta/Soup/Rice
- Pet
- Snacks
- Teeth
- Paper Products/Zip Locks/Garbage Bags
- Office
Because I only have a month's worth of coupons, I used a 1.5 inch binder. I'm sure that I'll eventually upgrade.
Lastly...I bought a packet of make your own tabs at Staples that I could attach to any page I wanted. This helped eliminate the need for dividers which would have taken up room in my binder. I used my favorite label maker to make the tiny labels needed.
And this is what the final binder looks like!
Friday, July 30, 2010
A really good question (answer TBD)
My friend Steve and his wife have recently also joined the bandwagon of super couponing...and I think my super vocalness about my love for this makes him think I know a little bit more than I do. He totally stumped me with his question. I'm going to see if I can find the answer, but thought I would put it out there for you guys to read and comment on.
Question - We're a little confused on the "per purchase" thing. Kroger has Crest toothpaste 10 for $10 this week and I have a 0.75 manufacturer coupon that says per purchase. Question is do i need 10 coupons to get the discount if I buy 10 toothpastes?
Hope I can find you the answer soon, Steve!
Question - We're a little confused on the "per purchase" thing. Kroger has Crest toothpaste 10 for $10 this week and I have a 0.75 manufacturer coupon that says per purchase. Question is do i need 10 coupons to get the discount if I buy 10 toothpastes?
Hope I can find you the answer soon, Steve!
Update on the whole denied coupon at Jewel
So surprise, surprise....no one at Jewel has been able to locate the new "policy" for me, but they swear that they are going to call me back. We'll see.
In any case, my friend Melissa tried using the coupon at another Jewel and it was also a no go. So I don't think we'll get that option.
HOWEVER, I do have some fun news. I realized the coupon had a facebook logo on it, so I did on search for the facebook page for Athenos. Low and behold...it was super easy to find. So I decided it couldn't hurt to write them a note on their wall about the fact that Jewel wouldn't take the printed coupon.
I absolutely didn't expect to receive a response...but I did within an HOUR of posting. They were very apologetic and a bit surprised. I responded and explained that I was waiting on the policy from Jewel.
In the meantime, though, they offered to mail me a coupon in the mail that I can use later :) Probably won't be able to get the same deal as the one I was excited about, but an extra coupon for an extra hummus is pretty cool to me!
In any case, my friend Melissa tried using the coupon at another Jewel and it was also a no go. So I don't think we'll get that option.
HOWEVER, I do have some fun news. I realized the coupon had a facebook logo on it, so I did on search for the facebook page for Athenos. Low and behold...it was super easy to find. So I decided it couldn't hurt to write them a note on their wall about the fact that Jewel wouldn't take the printed coupon.
I absolutely didn't expect to receive a response...but I did within an HOUR of posting. They were very apologetic and a bit surprised. I responded and explained that I was waiting on the policy from Jewel.
In the meantime, though, they offered to mail me a coupon in the mail that I can use later :) Probably won't be able to get the same deal as the one I was excited about, but an extra coupon for an extra hummus is pretty cool to me!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Coupon Fail! Athenos Hummus at Jewel
This morning I tried to use the Athenos Hummus coupon at my local Jewel (Pulaski and 51st). The very polite cashier told me that they no longer take "FREE" internet printed coupons.
I decided to push back and asked "since when?" I mentioned that I had previously used such a coupon at other Jewels. She said she knew it was a newer policy. So I asked if I could get a copy of the policy so that I could understand what I can and cannot use at their store.
After 20 minutes, neither she nor the manager could find the policy. I'm supposed to call back later in the day once they call someone else.
I'm absolutely calling back to get the policy and to raise a "polite" stink about it not being posted for us customers to know...
I also plan to write Athenos about it so that they know one of their local vendors does not accept their coupon. I will get my free Hummus!
Will keep everyone informed.
I decided to push back and asked "since when?" I mentioned that I had previously used such a coupon at other Jewels. She said she knew it was a newer policy. So I asked if I could get a copy of the policy so that I could understand what I can and cannot use at their store.
After 20 minutes, neither she nor the manager could find the policy. I'm supposed to call back later in the day once they call someone else.
I'm absolutely calling back to get the policy and to raise a "polite" stink about it not being posted for us customers to know...
I also plan to write Athenos about it so that they know one of their local vendors does not accept their coupon. I will get my free Hummus!
Will keep everyone informed.
Want to get Four Free Hummus?
Starting Thursday, July 29...Jewel has a Buy One, Get One Free deal on Athenos Hummus. This is a great find from Melissa!
There is also a Buy One, Get One Free Manufacturer's Coupon that you can find here:
http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/05/buy-one-athenos-hummus-get-one-free-coupon.html
This means that when you go to Jewel, pick up Three Hummus of your choosing because by using this coupon, you will only be paying for one! If you use both coupons (not sure if you can use them in one transaction)....you would pay for TWO of Hummus, but you would come home with SIX!
And the best part.....you can FREEZE Hummus :)
If you back space twice after printing, you should be able to print the coupon one more time. Then I think you're cut off!
Enjoy!
Thanks for the tip, Melissa!
There is also a Buy One, Get One Free Manufacturer's Coupon that you can find here:
http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/05/buy-one-athenos-hummus-get-one-free-coupon.html
This means that when you go to Jewel, pick up Three Hummus of your choosing because by using this coupon, you will only be paying for one! If you use both coupons (not sure if you can use them in one transaction)....you would pay for TWO of Hummus, but you would come home with SIX!
And the best part.....you can FREEZE Hummus :)
If you back space twice after printing, you should be able to print the coupon one more time. Then I think you're cut off!
Enjoy!
Thanks for the tip, Melissa!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
My starting point
Until i can figure out how to add a box to my blog to start the debt countdown, I figured I should at least post the starting figure.
That is the total of my BAD debt....credit cards mostly. All have varying APRs so it will be interesting to see how this number will fluctuate, but this is the base number for now. Once I figure out how to best document my progress, I'll update properly. Couponing will only be one of the ways in which I will try to pay off my debt, but every little bit counts, right?
This number used to be almost $20,000 a couple of years ago, so I've already done well. I haven't reduced my debt in the smartest of fashions, but I have clearly made significant progress over the past 3-4 years. This is the final stretch.
Lord knows I also have about $70,000 in education and NEW car debt...but I'm going to consider those the way of life for many years. I don't even own my own home yet.
If I can just eliminate the $5600 here (which seems so small now that I tallied it), it would do wonders for my social life and scrapbooking business. Heck, I might even be able to start saving for my big property investment. Wowsers!
$5596.91
That is the total of my BAD debt....credit cards mostly. All have varying APRs so it will be interesting to see how this number will fluctuate, but this is the base number for now. Once I figure out how to best document my progress, I'll update properly. Couponing will only be one of the ways in which I will try to pay off my debt, but every little bit counts, right?
This number used to be almost $20,000 a couple of years ago, so I've already done well. I haven't reduced my debt in the smartest of fashions, but I have clearly made significant progress over the past 3-4 years. This is the final stretch.
Lord knows I also have about $70,000 in education and NEW car debt...but I'm going to consider those the way of life for many years. I don't even own my own home yet.
If I can just eliminate the $5600 here (which seems so small now that I tallied it), it would do wonders for my social life and scrapbooking business. Heck, I might even be able to start saving for my big property investment. Wowsers!
Using CVS bucks for the first time
So I'm home for another day battling this stomach bug and knew that I would have to run out to buy some additional bottles of Gatorade. So I decided to pre-plan my trip and looked through the CVS mailer to see if there were any household items on sale that I needed or would soon need.
I knew I needed lightbulbs and dish detergent.
Detergent was on sale and there was a manufacturer's coupon for 25 cents off a 20oz bottle of Palmolive (so I clipped that coupon and put in my CVS file).
I also failed to mention that when I got my CVS card, I signed up on-line and received a $4 coupon off my next $20 purchase. So my goal was to spend $20 so that I could use this $4 coupon and then use the $17 in bucks mentioned in the previous blog.
I purchased the following items:
I'm still chuckling at myself...I feel slick because I only ended up paying $5.41 after I turned in all my coupons!
I could get used to this!
I knew I needed lightbulbs and dish detergent.
Detergent was on sale and there was a manufacturer's coupon for 25 cents off a 20oz bottle of Palmolive (so I clipped that coupon and put in my CVS file).
I also failed to mention that when I got my CVS card, I signed up on-line and received a $4 coupon off my next $20 purchase. So my goal was to spend $20 so that I could use this $4 coupon and then use the $17 in bucks mentioned in the previous blog.
How did I do?
I purchased the following items:
- 2 12-packs of Diet Coke
- 2 boxes of Special K cereal
- 2 individual Gatorade bottles
- box of lightbulbs
- Dish detergent
- Renuzit room deodorizer for my apt hallway
I'm still chuckling at myself...I feel slick because I only ended up paying $5.41 after I turned in all my coupons!
I could get used to this!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Answering my two questions about CVS bucks
The answer to my two questions from my inspiration (Missy Olson):
"CVS - I love CVS. Yes you can use as many as you want - they are like cash that you don't get change back for, so make sure you don't hand over more than you bill is for. They come as an "attachment" to your receipt (you'll see them on the bottom). You cut them off and use them whenever you want before they expire. If you got multiple ones in a transaction, you don't have to use all of them on your next purchase."
Also, I did a little homework....it looks like some CVS stores will accept expired bucks (most expire in about a month). So give it a shot!
"CVS - I love CVS. Yes you can use as many as you want - they are like cash that you don't get change back for, so make sure you don't hand over more than you bill is for. They come as an "attachment" to your receipt (you'll see them on the bottom). You cut them off and use them whenever you want before they expire. If you got multiple ones in a transaction, you don't have to use all of them on your next purchase."
Also, I did a little homework....it looks like some CVS stores will accept expired bucks (most expire in about a month). So give it a shot!
My first attempt at making money at CVS
So today I was cursed (and blessed) with having to stay home due to a stomach bug. I absolutely needed to buy myself some gatorade, so I knew that I was going to plan this trip to try out some of these super couponing tips.
I decided to go to CVS because there were many things in the mailer that were going to earn me bucks that I would be using immediately or in the future. I was prewarned that the first time you go to CVS to do this, you will be paying quite a bit...but you'll walk out with money to spend next time.
I don't have a child, but I am going to a baby shower in a few weeks, so why not? One box of diapers was $21.99 (down from $23.99) - side bar: diapers are crazy expensive! I have several friends with babies....they better get ready for me to call and find out what size their kids are using so I can earn money and get them cheap diapers!
Bucks earned: $10.00
This means that I essentially only paid $11.99 for the box of diapers because I've been given $10 to spend later.
Feminine products (Kotex brand)
Being female, this is something I buy on a regular basis. Though I didn't any now, I saw in the saver that if you bought the Kotex brand (pads or tampons), you would pay $4.99 but then also earn $4.99 bucks. Fair warning, I wanted to buy pads, but they were all out...so I had to either buy liners or tampons. I bought whatever to start a small stock-pile.
Bucks earned: $4.99
This means that in theory, I'm getting this item for free.
Bucks earned: $2.00
I essentially paid $1.00 for the bar soap.
Total bucks earned on this shopping trip: $16.99 (this is money I can spend on my next trip to CVS). It's like having a tab (only you have to save your receipts). Madness! Literally...I have money to spend on almost anything I want (excludes alcohol and other things).
So how is this going to eliminate my debt. I'm literally going to transfer $17 to my savings account as if I would have spent it...and then I'll send a payment to one of my remaining cards later :)
This is gonna be great!
I don't understand why they don't teach high school students how to do this super couponing thing. The amount of things I could have purchased for school or to eat rather than relying on ramen and rice. Ah the memories.
2. Bucks print out per item (so I have 3 from today's shopping trip)...can I stack them for one transaction?
I decided to go to CVS because there were many things in the mailer that were going to earn me bucks that I would be using immediately or in the future. I was prewarned that the first time you go to CVS to do this, you will be paying quite a bit...but you'll walk out with money to spend next time.
Buck earners
Baby Diapers I don't have a child, but I am going to a baby shower in a few weeks, so why not? One box of diapers was $21.99 (down from $23.99) - side bar: diapers are crazy expensive! I have several friends with babies....they better get ready for me to call and find out what size their kids are using so I can earn money and get them cheap diapers!
Bucks earned: $10.00
This means that I essentially only paid $11.99 for the box of diapers because I've been given $10 to spend later.
Feminine products (Kotex brand)
Being female, this is something I buy on a regular basis. Though I didn't any now, I saw in the saver that if you bought the Kotex brand (pads or tampons), you would pay $4.99 but then also earn $4.99 bucks. Fair warning, I wanted to buy pads, but they were all out...so I had to either buy liners or tampons. I bought whatever to start a small stock-pile.
Bucks earned: $4.99
This means that in theory, I'm getting this item for free.
Dove bar soap
Buying the two bar back cost $3.00Bucks earned: $2.00
I essentially paid $1.00 for the bar soap.
Total bucks earned on this shopping trip: $16.99 (this is money I can spend on my next trip to CVS). It's like having a tab (only you have to save your receipts). Madness! Literally...I have money to spend on almost anything I want (excludes alcohol and other things).
So how is this going to eliminate my debt. I'm literally going to transfer $17 to my savings account as if I would have spent it...and then I'll send a payment to one of my remaining cards later :)
This is gonna be great!
I don't understand why they don't teach high school students how to do this super couponing thing. The amount of things I could have purchased for school or to eat rather than relying on ramen and rice. Ah the memories.
Some questions on the Bucks that I promise to investigate:
1. Do you have to use all of the bucks at once, or do you get a receipt with a remaining balance?2. Bucks print out per item (so I have 3 from today's shopping trip)...can I stack them for one transaction?
Shop Your Way Rewards
If you think you might shop at Kmart, Sears, Land End, the Great Indoors or My Gopher...they also have a reward system. I signed up. Not sure how to redeem points and stuff, but I can't imagine that it would hurt :)
go to http://shopyourwayrewards.com
go to http://shopyourwayrewards.com
Create a Couponing email
This way you can get all the offers and emails to one place and not have it overwhelm your personal account.
What to do first
I went to the BBQ on a Sunday which was good timing. On our way home, my cousin and I made four important stops.
Please note: my tips are for Chicagoland area folks
Stop 1: Stopped by Walgreens to purchase a Sunday paper (Tribune seems to have the better coupon selection) and to pick up their store advertisement
Stop 2: Stopped by CVS to sign up for their ExtraCare card. I used to have one ages ago....but I have no idea where it is. It's important to have everything updated!
Stop 3: Stopped by Jewel-Osco to sign up for a new Preferred card (again to make sure everything was updated). I opted for the mailer too (this is key!).
Stop 4: Stopped by Dominicks to sign up for a new Fresh Values card. You will be surprised to learn that this will soon be your store of choice.
Tomorrow I'll post a few more of the tips/blogs to help you get started!
Please note: my tips are for Chicagoland area folks
Stop 1: Stopped by Walgreens to purchase a Sunday paper (Tribune seems to have the better coupon selection) and to pick up their store advertisement
Stop 2: Stopped by CVS to sign up for their ExtraCare card. I used to have one ages ago....but I have no idea where it is. It's important to have everything updated!
Stop 3: Stopped by Jewel-Osco to sign up for a new Preferred card (again to make sure everything was updated). I opted for the mailer too (this is key!).
Stop 4: Stopped by Dominicks to sign up for a new Fresh Values card. You will be surprised to learn that this will soon be your store of choice.
Tomorrow I'll post a few more of the tips/blogs to help you get started!
It all started with a BBQ
I don't even know how to begin talking about the madness that is about to start...all I can say is that I blame Melissa (Arch) Olson!
I honestly hadn't seen Melissa since the late 1990s, and she mentioned on facebook that she was super couponing. On of my our fellow classmates expressed an interest as did I....well, Melissa was ready for us with an invite to a special learning BBQ.
Oh my goodness....I had no idea what was about to come my way. And there is no way I have the energy to explain it this evening, but I promise to post some of the tips this week.
All I know is that I immediately saw that it's just plain dumb not to coupon...the cost savings can be ridiculous. So I internally decided that I would use my couponing to help me eliminate the bad debt in my life (which is already down significantly but not totally gone yet). So here goes nothing!
Tonight -- I'm organizing!
I honestly hadn't seen Melissa since the late 1990s, and she mentioned on facebook that she was super couponing. On of my our fellow classmates expressed an interest as did I....well, Melissa was ready for us with an invite to a special learning BBQ.
Oh my goodness....I had no idea what was about to come my way. And there is no way I have the energy to explain it this evening, but I promise to post some of the tips this week.
All I know is that I immediately saw that it's just plain dumb not to coupon...the cost savings can be ridiculous. So I internally decided that I would use my couponing to help me eliminate the bad debt in my life (which is already down significantly but not totally gone yet). So here goes nothing!
Tonight -- I'm organizing!
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