slacking, weeks 3 & 4

After three days without power, I fell behind on my blog. So, to catch up I'm going to just go over my spending stats for week 3 (01.15-01.21) and week 4 (01.22-01.28).

Week 3
Rite Aid 01.15: Spent .04 (+.76 tax) & saved 22.01
Walmart 01.16: Spent 14.83 (+2.86 tax) & saved $48
Rite Aid 01.17: Spent .99
Albertson's: Spent .87 & saved 9.72
Total spent: 20.35
Total saved: 79.73 (80%)
Weekly budget: $50, 29.65 under budget!

Week 4
Rite Aid 01.22: Spent 2.45 (+ 4.94 tax) & saved 97.88
Safeway 01.22: Spent 3.96 & saved 8.80
Rite Aid 01.24: Spent .05 (+ 3.57 tax) & saved 95.06
Walgreens 01.25: Spent 9.74 (+ 1.79 tax) & saved 41.94
Commissary 01.25: Spent 2.87 & saved $2
Rite Aid 01.25: Spent .21 (+ 1.51 tax) & saved 18.65
PX 01.25: Spent $0 & saved 9.60
Albertson's: Spent 6.98 (+ .84 tax) & saved 44.67
Rite Aid 01.26: .15 (+ .62 tax) & saved 12.40
= 34.81 - $10 Kohl's rebate
Total spent: 24.81
Total saved: $341 (93%)
Weeky budget: $50, 25.19 under budget!

So far I have spent a total of 117.84 & saved 794.53 off retail prices. My monthly budget (01.01-02.04, 5 weeks) is $250, or $50 per week. So far I am 82.16 under budget!

pricematch perfection

4 Old Spice body wash 3.97 each
- 1.48 PM (2.49 each)
- (4) $2/1 MQ (.49 each)
8 Old Spice deoderant 3.97 each
- 2.98 (.99 each)
- (4) $1/2 MQ (.49 each)
4 Duck tape $1 each
- (4) $1/1 MQ (FREE)
2 sheet protectors 8.81 (total)
1 wire basket $6
- $3 clearance ($3)
= 17.69

Pricematch savings: 29.76 (!!!!)
Coupon savings: $16
Total savings: 45.76 (72%)



Key:
PM - price match
MQ - manufacturer coupon

week 2

I mostly shopped at Rite Aid this week. Spent a total of 40.53 out of pocket (15.53 tax) and saved a total of 274.07 (86%), which includes

2 johnson & Johnson baby powder
2 Bengay
3 Visine
4 Stayfree pads
10 OB tampons
2 Thermacare
2 Centrum ProNutrients
12 Hershey chocolate bars
2 8ct Duracell
8 Brainstrong vitamins
7 Russel Stover bagged chocolate
1 sour cream (my only safeway item)

See a couple of my shopping hauls here and here.

9.47 under budget this week (HOORAY!)

FREE CHOCOLATE!

Returned Viactiv due to misprint, got back 5.99 (+ .52 tax)*

1 Centrum ProNutrient 13.29
1 Centrum ProNutrient 12.29
- 6.14 BOGO 50% off RC (6.15)
- (2) $4/1 VV
- (2) $5/1 MQ
- $2 (+up reward RC)**
1 Thermacare 3.99
- .99 WCS ($3)
1 Bengay 5.99
- $2/1 SQ
- $2/1 MQ
4 OB tampons 5.49 each
- 2.99 WCS (2.50 each)
- (2) $1/2 SQ ($2 each)
- (2) $1/1 MQ ($1 each)
16 Hershey .99 each
- 7.92 WCS (BOGO)
- (8) BOGO MQ (FREE)
= 8.43 (+ 3.17 Tax)
- $3up from here
= 5.43 (+ 3.17 tax)
Saved: 59.79 (87%)
Receive $3up (Thermacare) & $20up (spend $100, get $20up) (5.99 viactiv return - 5.43 sub
total = .56 money maker)

Key:
RC: raincheck
WCS - wellness card savings
MQ - manufacturer coupon
VV - vdeo value coupon
SQ - store coupon

Resolution Rewards:
Previous balance: 66
New balance: 110

*Viactiv marked as an item a part of the "spend $100, get $20 deal" in 01.08-01.14 ad, it isn't part of the deal.
**Deal from 01.01-01.07 was BOGO 50% off Pronutrients, buy 2 and get $2up reward.

.02 MM

(Not shown: 2 Visine)

1 Thermacare 3.99
- .99 WCS ($3)
2 Visine 5.49 each
4 Stayfree 4.49 each
- 1.99 WCS (2.50 each)
- (2) $1/2 SQ ($2 each)
- (2) BOGO MQ (.75 each)*
4 OB Tampons 5.49
- 2.99 WCS (2.50 each)
- (2) $1/2 SQ ($2 each)
- (4) $1/1 MQ ($1 each)
= 12.98 (+ 2.96 tax)
- $10up from here
= 2.98 (+ 2.96 tax)
Saved: 31.91 (91%)
Receive $10up (spend $30, get $10) & $3up (thermacare) (12.98 - $10up + $10up + $3up = .02MM!!!)

Key:
WCS - wellness card savings
MQ - manufacturer coupon
VV - vdeo value coupon
SQ - store coupon

*cashier took off 2.50 instead of $2

double dipping deals

2 Johnson&Johnson baby powder 4.49 each
- .50 WCS (3.99 each)
- (2) $1/1 MQ
1 Viactiv 9.29
- 3.30 (5.99)
- $1 VV
- $2/1 MQ
1 Bengay 5.99
- $2/1 SQ
- $2/1 MQ
1 Visine 5.49
- $2/1 SQ
- $2/1 2
2 OB tampons 5.49
- 2.99 WCS (2.50 each)
- $1/2 SQ
- (2) $2/1 MQ (IP)
= 12.45 (+2.65 tax)
- $2up reward from Centrum Pro Nutrients
= 10.45 (+2.65 tax)
Saved: 30.28 (74%)
Receive $10up reward (10.45subtotal - $10up = .45)

Key:
WCS - wellness card savings
MQ - manufacturer coupon
VV - vdeo value coupon
SQ - store coupon

Resolution Rewards
Previous balance: $42
Points earned: $30
New balance: $66 (6 points missing)

Week 1: spent 32.15 saved: 99.73 (76%), 17.85 under budget

01.01.2012 Spent 4.07 at Safeway. Saved 3.10 (44%)
- tapioca pudding $1
- nestle milk chocolate morsels 1.99
- a&w rootbeer 2 liter .99

01.05.2012 Spent 19.99 at Safeway. Saved 33.72 (63%)
2 Dulce de Leche Cheerios 3.99 each
- 1.49 CCS (2.50 each)
- .51 SQ (1.99 each)
- (2) .75/1 MQ (1.24 each)
1 Peanut Butter Cheerios 3.79
- 1.29 CCS (2.50)
- .51 SQ (1.99)
- .75/1 MQ (1.24)
1 Frosted Toast Crunch 3.99
- 1.49 CCS (2.50)
- .51 SQ (1.99)
- .75/1 MQ (1.24)
1 Spiderman Fruit Snacks 2.99
- .99 CCS ($2)
- .51 SQ (1.49)
2 8oz. Mushrooms 2.99 each
- 1.49 CCS (1.50 each)
Roma Tomatoes 1.07 (1.99/lb)
Brussel Sproats 1.12 (3.49/lb)
3.35 lbs Safeway Select Carne Asada 7.99/lb
- $3 CCS (4.99/lb)
- 50% SQ (2.49/lb)

01.07.2012 Spent 5.02 at Rite Aid. Saved 61.55 (92%)
2 Centrum Pro Nutrients 12.29 each
- BOGO 50% off (18.43 total)
- (2) $4/1 VV (10.43 total)
- (2) $5/1 MQ (.43 total)
4 Colgate Optic White toothbrushes 5.29 each
- 1.80 WCS (3.49 each)
- (4) $3/1 VV (.49 each)
- (4) .75/1 MQ (.26 MM each!!!)
4 Finish Quantum 10ct 4.29 each
- 1.80 WCS (2.49 each)
- (4) $1/1 VV (1.49 each)
- (4) $1/1 MQ (.49 each)
= 1.35 (+3.68 tax)

01.07.2012 Spent 3.07 at Safeway. Saved 1.36 (29%)
4 Safeway Root Beer 1.19 each
- .34 CCS (.85 each)
= 3.40 (+ .30 tax)


17.85 under weekly budget!

Safeway Rant

ROFLMAO.

.65 Money Making Transaction!

Thanks GregthatDude and GregthatDudeTv for posting about these deals.



This is another example of "stacking", as discussed here.


2 Centrum Pro Nutrients 12.29 each
- BOGO 50% off (18.43 total)
- (2) $4/1 VV (10.43 total)
- (2) $5/1 MQ (.43 total)
4 Colgate Optic White toothbrushes 5.29 each
- 1.80 WCS (3.49 each)
- (4) $3/1 VV (.49 each)
- (4) .75/1 MQ (.26 MM each!!!)
4 Finish Quantum 10ct 4.29 each
- 1.80 WCS (2.49 each)*
- (4) $1/1 VV (1.49 each)
- (4) $1/1 MQ (.49 each)
= 1.35 (+3.68 tax)
Saved 61.55 (92%)
Receive $2up Reward from Centrum
($2up - 1.35subtotal = .65 MM!!!)

Key:
VV: Video Value coupon, Rite Aid store coupon printed from website
MQ: Manufacturer coupon
WCS: Wellness card savings (store card)
MM: Money maker

*Finish Quantum was not marked on the shelf, I had them do a price check.

Rite Aid Resolution Rewards:
Previous balance: $0
$ Earned: $42
Total balance: $42

Stacking.

To get a great deal on products, couponers do what is known in the coupon world as "stacking". Stacking refers to the use of TWO coupons on a single product. BEFORE you start celebrating stacking every coupon in your binder, remember the fine print on all those MANUFACTURER coupons of yours read "one coupon per purchase" so you absolutely can not and SHOULD NOT use more than one manufacturer coupon per coupon quantity. For instance, if I have a coupon for $1 off TWO of product x and also have a .50 off ONE of product x I can't buy two of product x and use both coupons. For example, the coupon states $1 off TWO canned corn and I have another coupon for .50 off ONE canned corn. I absolutely CAN NOT and SHOULD not attempt to use those coupons on two cans of corn because I can only LEGALLY use one coupon PER PERCHASE for the quantity stated on the coupon.
SO WHAT ABOUT STACKING? As I said earlier, stacking refers to the use of TWO coupons on a single product, but not two manufacturer coupons, instead one STORE coupon and one manufacturer coupon. Store coupons are issued by the retail location and not by the manufacturer so they can be combined for great savings. Please note that there are manufacturer coupons issued for use ONLY at specific retail locations. These are considered manufacturer coupons and CAN NOT and SHOULD NOT be stacked. In the case of my shopping trip today, I went to Safeway and stacked their in-ad store coupons with my printed manufacturer coupons for a good deal on the new flavors from General Mills.



2 Dulce de Leche Cheerios 3.99 each
- 1.49 CCS (2.50 each)
- .51 SQ (1.99 each)
- (2) .75/1 MQ (1.24 each)**
1 Peanut Butter Cheerios 3.79
- 1.29 CCS (2.50)
- .51 SQ (1.99)
- .75/1 MQ (1.24)**
1 Frosted Toast Crunch 3.99
- 1.49 CCS (2.50)
- .51 SQ (1.99)
- .75/1 MQ (1.24)**
1 Spiderman Fruit Snacks 2.99
- .99 CCS ($2)
- .51 SQ (1.49)
2 8oz. Mushrooms 2.99 each
- 1.49 CCS (1.50 each)
Roma Tomatoes 1.07 (1.99/lb)
Brussel Sproats 1.12 (3.49/lb)
3.35 lbs Safeway Select Carne Asada 7.99/lb
- $3 CCS (4.99/lb)
- 50% SQ (2.49/lb)
= 19.99
Total Saved: 33.72 (63%)
Receive 20 BONUS Box Tops for Education ($2 value)*

Key:
CCS - club card savings
SQ - store coupon
MQ - manufacturer coupon

*remember, the Dulce de Leche flavors are not included in the box tops promo but because my store included them in the display they printed it manually
**to score the .75 manufacturer coupons go to coupons.com and search under zip code 98597.

Insert Check

There was a rumored 5 inserts that were supposed to be out in the paper today, 2 RedPlum (RP), 2 SmartSource (SS), and 1 Proctor & Gamble (P&G). Some areas only got certain inserts, I got four here in Yelm, WA (NW Region) but I know there are a few that got all five. P&G is awesome this month and on top of the great coupons, every one redeemed will provide three cents to the Special Olympics, which is near and dear to me. So, remember, collect your inserts and look for some great deals to use them to save big this year!

Clanking in the New Year

In today's economy everyone is realizing that they have to cut everyday expenses to make ends meet. When the US Army moved us from Hawaii to Washington and then decided that the government just may not pay the military and our savings account had been depleted by moving expenses I went into panic mode. All I could think about was where we would be getting the money to put food on the table. That's when a friend I had met on an iPhone app taught me how to coupon and it has changed our lives. Not only are we making ends meet, we are ballin` on a budget. Couponing has also allowed me to help others and donate. I have been couponing (successfully) for 8 months today. I do not claim to know it all and utilize several other sites for success. This blog's main purpose is to hold me accountable for the money i spend. My New Year's resolution is to spend LESS on groceries, health and beauty, and diapers. My current budget is $200 per month for everything. My goal is to stay within this budget and hopefully spend less for my family of four (2 adults & 2 children under 4). So, let's ring in the New Year determined to make our cents count (and get excited for the inevitable product porn).