Shoprite, CVS, Pathmark, Acme, Rite Aid, Wegmans

Ryan is away for a father-son ski weekend, so I have all the time in the world to wheel and deal. I hit 6 stores in a row and it wore me out! I took a separate picture for each store's haul.

You may be noticing a pattern by now: I tend to hit stores on the weekend right after a sale begins, then be too busy and tired on weekdays. Then I frantically hit all the stores again right before the sales end to finish the deals.

Shoprite:
4 Chex Mix, $1.25 each minus 4 $0.50 MQ doubled = $1.00
2 Wheat Thins, $2.00 each minus 1 $2/2 MQ = $2.00
1 32 oz. Coffeemate, $2.99 minus $1.50 IP = $1.49
1 Frank's Red Hot Sauce, $1.29 minus $0.50 doubled = $0.29
Minus $0.05 reusable bag credit = $4.73


CVS #1 (Ryan's card):
2 Sierra Mist Free 12 pk, 3/$10 = $6.67
2 Diet Pepsi 2L, $1.25 each = $2.50
1 Nutra-Trim gum = $3.99
1 Head and Shoulders = $4.99, used $1 MQ
1 Gillette Fusion Gamer = $7.99, used $4 MQ
Used $19.98 ECB
Total: $1.59, used remaining balance ($0.56) on GC, rest cash ($1.03)
Earned $20.99 ECB (10 for Pepsi, 3 for shampoo, 3.99 for gum, 4 for razor)


Pathmark:
4 McCormick taco seasoning, $0.50 each, used 2 $0.25 MQ and 1 $0.25/2 MQ doubled, = $0.50
2 Colgate toothpaste, $0.99 each, used 2 $0.50 MQ doubled = FREE
3 Wholly Guacamole (small size), $0.98 each, used 3 $0.50 MQ doubled = FREE
Plus $0.07 tax = $0.57

Woohoo free guacamole! Perfect for all the Tostitos we have. I sampled some already, and it's good :)


Acme:
4 cans Hormel chili, $1.00 each, minus 2 $1/2 MQ = $2.00
1 Softsoap pump, $1.00, minus $0.35 MQ doubled = $0.30
1 20 lb Arm & Hammer kitty litter, $5.50, minus $1 MQ = $4.50
2 Knorr Sides Plus Veggies, $1.00 each, minus $0.75/2 fully doubled = $0.50
2 Glory Sensibly Seasoned black eyed peas, $1.25 each, minus $0.75/2 fully doubled = $1.00
3 Culinary Circle frozen pizzas, $3.99 each = $11.97
3 Diet Dr. Pepper 2L, $1.00 each, used 3 FREE wyb Culinary Circle pizza MQ (found in store as part of a promotion). Cashier inputted maximum value of coupon, so $1.47 overage!
Plus $0.64 tax = $19.44
Spent $10.23 off GC, remaining $9.21 on credit card (I didn't have my second Acme GC with me)

I am submitting the pizzas as part of my $15 Bud deli/pizza/chicken rebate, so I'll get back $10 of what I spent at Acme.


Rite Aid:
Just one lonely shampoo, $2.99 minus $1 MQ = $1.99 plus $0.21 tax = $2.20
Will submit for $2.99 SCR, so $0.79 eventual profit

Five minutes after the above picture was taken, little Garnier was reunited with her family:


CVS #2 (my card):
3 Tostitos, $3 each = $9.00
2 Diet Pepsi 2L, $1.25 each = $2.50
1 Head & Shoulders, $4.99 minus $1 MQ = $3.99
1 Gillette Fusion Gamer, $7.99 minus $4 MQ = $3.99
1 Stacy's Pita Chips, $3.00 minus $1.50 MQ = $1.50
2 Pantene Brunette Expressions, $4.99 each minus $3/2 MQ = $6.98
Used $5/$30 email CVS Q
Spent $20.99 ECB
Total: $1.97, used final $0.41 off a GC, so $1.56 oop
Earned $23 ECB ($10 for Pepsi, $9 for shampoo, $4 for razor)
I will be submitting this receipt for a $5 rebate (Heineken, $5 rebate off $10 game day snacks)


Finally, an unillustrated trip from Wednesday. The rotisserie chicken will be the other part of my $15 Bud Deli/Pizza/Chicken rebate, so think of $5 of this as refundable.

Wegmans:
Rotisserie Chicken, $4.99
6 cans Wegmans brand corn, $0.33 each = $1.98
Plus $0.35 tax = $7.32 total

Whew!

Total spent so far: $203.70
Remaining on Acme GC: $25.00
Pending rebates: $88.63
"So it's really like": $90.07 spent this year

CVS, Walgreens

There aren't any killer deals at my grocery stores this week, so good 'ol CVS and Walgreens it is.

Walgreens:
3 7up brand 2L sodas, 3/$4 minus one $1/2 Sunkist peelie MQ = $3.00
After tax, $3.28 off GC
Earned $2 RR

CVS (Ryan's card):
3 Tostitos chips, $3 each = $9.00
1 Stacy's Pita Chips, $3 minus $1.50/1 MQ = $1.50
1 Tostitos salsa, $2.99, used Free Salsa wyb 2 Tostitos MQ = FREE
1 CVS cough drops, used free item CRT = FREE
Used $5 ECB
Total: $5.50 on credit card
Working toward Pepsi ECBs
Will submit for $10 rebate (Bud Bowl C-Store: salty snacks)

CVS (my card):
2 Tostitos chips, $3 each = $6.00
1 Nutra-trim gum = $3.99
1 Nice & Easy haircolor on clearance = $1.99
1 Nice & Easy haircolor on clearance = $2.49, used $5/2 MQ (took off full $5 = overage!)
Used $5 ECB
Total: $4.71 on credit card
Earned $3.99 ECB, working toward Pepsi ECBs
Will submit for $5 rebate (Bud $5 off $5.01+ salty snacks)

Total spent so far: $177.08
Remaining on Acme GC: $35.22
Pending rebates: $65.64
"So it's really like": $76.22 spent this year

Rule change: kitties now included!

It's been almost a month into the budget and I'm doing really well. Using my "it's really like" total that assumes I'll get all my rebates back, I'm only on track to spend about $800 this year! Not to mention I'm going to end the month with more food and drugstore goodies in our stockpile/freezer than when I began. We've been eating a good variety of meals and snacks so there's no feeling of deprivation, either.

So...since I'm a glutton for punishment, I've decided to make the rules a little bit more challenging by adding our kitties' food and litter into the budget. After all those bags of Goodlife Recipe at Kmart the cat food won't be too hard, but litter is a significant expense. With 4 cats, we have to clean the litterboxes every day, which means scoopable litter is a must. I happened to stock up on litter in December, but our last box is starting to get low.

Since I'm saving all my receipts now, I can go back and subtract what I spent on cat food this year so far:
1/11/09: Kmart, $3.21 total for 8 3 lb bags Goodlife Recipe, 1 3 lb bag Purina Healthful Life, and 1 Pounce cat treats
1/16/09: Kmart, $1.20 for 1 3 lb bag Meow Mix Wholesome Goodness
1/17/09: Kmart, $3.08 total for 22 3/2.7 lb bags Goodlife Recipe
Total: $7.49 spent

With this change in effect, I'll keep wheelin' along and monitor the situation as I go. There's a good chance I'll lower the total yearly allowance, but I'll probably see how February shapes up first. I want to leave room for us to go out to eat once a month or two. We haven't gone out so far this year, but I haven't really missed it, either. Every once in a while both of us get the itch to go out, so I'd like to keep that an option.

Oh, I was billed for my Sunday paper subscription the other day, so that's another $11.85 gone.

Total spent so far: $166.87
Remaining on Acme GC: $35.22
Pending rebates: $51.48
"So it's really like": $83.17 spent this year

Shoprite

I have several rebate forms left that expire at the end of the month, so I had to get cracking on fulfilling their purchase requirements. Shoprite had good prices on both shrimp and Italian sausage this week, so I that takes care of my Save $10 on $20 Purchase of Shrimp, Sausage, etc... rebate.

4 lbs frozen shrimp, $24.95 minus $5 store Q = $19.95
2.78 lbs Italian sausage, $1.48/lb with store Q = $4.11
3 Chex Mix, $1.25 each minus 3 $0.50 MQ doubled = $0.75
Minus $0.10 bag refund = $24.71

I was excited that the turtle flavor Chex Mix was included in the sale. Usually the varieties with the chocolate pieces are more expensive. It used to be that at least once a month I could find free Chex Mix (at least the standard flavors), but with the economy going down the price went up. I'll still pay $0.25/bag, though...it will break up the Club crackers more, lol!

We have sooooo much "meat" (incl. shrimp, bacon, etc) in the fridge and freezer. I have one more rebate that requires me to buy some deli meat and a rotisserie chicken, but after that, no more meat purchases for a while unless it's the cheapest I've seen in months. I will be making jambalaya with some of the shrimp and sausage...yum!

Total spent so far: $150.53
Remaining on Acme GC: $35.22
Pending rebates: $51.48
"So it's really like": $63.83 spent this year

My stockpile and tools of the trade

Last Monday was my birthday and my mother-in-law sent me a Target GC, so I used it to buy what I've really been wanting lately...shelving for my stockpile!

Above is my non-food stockpile. Clockwise from top left: cat food, paper products, skin/hair/eye care, cleaning products, dental care (in box), medicine (in box), stuff to sell at flea market (Mr. Coffee box), and miscellaneous other stuff.

I am pretty lucky that we have a big basement for all my stuff. It is always cooler than the house, even during summer, but doesn't freeze during winter. Of course it would be nice to have a huge dedicated pantry on the main floor, but this is the next best thing.

Below is the (mostly) food stockpile with my homemade shelves: old closet doors and empty kitty litter buckets! Not the prettiest, but they hold a lot and were free!
I am only super-stocked on a few things (Club crackers or CVS candy canes, anyone?!), but I've started being more aggressive trading for hot coupons when something will be free or really close. We also have full cupboards in the kitchen. You'll also see my flea market-destined shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the boxes on the ground.

Here is how I clip/organize my Q's:

I clip every single coupon in my home delivery copy of the Philly Inquirer. The stuff I'm almost certain I won't use (joint supplements, Depends, etc) I file into an envelope that stays at home just in case it becomes a moneymaker or someone wants to trade for it. All the rest gets sorted and filed in my coupon files:

For food:

For everything other than food:

These both fit in my large couponing purse. I'm surprised I have never been questioned about possible shoplifting since I'm constantly taking these in and out of my purse (unless I have a cart to put them in the child seat...my little coupon babies!).

I flip through any additional inserts (from additional paper purchases or retrieved from the recycling center), clip and file the coupons I'm fairly certain I'll use, then "file" the rest of the insert in one of my coupon baskets:

You can see me already in violation of my organizing system. The basket on the right is supposed to be for whole inserts and coupon booklets only. The one on the left is supposed to be for ads, receipts, and unlikely-to-use coupons. The whole "inserts in a basket" is not really an ideal system...I am going to be switching to a mini file cabinet fairly soon. But the basket is what I've been using so far.

And lastly, my pretty bags that I use at the grocery store:.

My kitties say, "Hey, there's a big kitty on this bag!" I bought these from Superfresh last year for $1 each (and proceeds went to charity). I'm slowly making that money back because Shoprite credits you $0.05 per reusable bag you use (so do a couple other stores, but I usually use self check out when I can to avoid coupon-unfriendly cashiers). I love my bags- they're so colorful and hold a lot more that the boring solid color Acme or Shoprite reusuable bags.

CVS, Walgreens

Two CVS and one WAG today. No oop, just GC's today. Oh, if this sounds like Greek to you, I now have an index of all my commonly-used abbreviations and acronyms off in the sidebar.


Walgreens:
Revlon Matte eyeshadow, $4.99, used $2 MQ, will get $5.49 ESR (cost + 10% GC bonus)
Orajel cold sore patch, $8.49, used $1 MQ, will get get $9.34 ESR, will also submit for $8 manufacturer's MIR
Trial size Tuf kitchen trash bags, clearanced to $0.50
Dozen eggs, $1.59
Plus $0.39 tax, used $10 RR, total = $2.96 off GC

I've heard that a previous Orajel rebate had poor return rate; pretty much no one got theirs until they contacted the company. I will give it a try anyway and keep a copy of all my materials in case it gets "lost in the mail."

CVS #1 (my card):
2 2L Pepsi brand, $2.50
1 12 pk Diet Pepsi, $3.00
1 Stacy's Pita Chips, $3.00 - $1.50 MQ (tomorrow's paper)
1 Rogaine foam, $19.99 - $15.00 IP
1 Chocolate-covered pretzel rod, $0.33
Used $12 ECB
= $1.29 off GC
Earned $10 ECB for finishing Pepsi deal, $5 ECB for Rogaine

CVS #2 (Ryan's card)
1 Rogaine foam, $19.99 - $15.00 IP
2 Nutra-trim gum, $7.98
1 NeilMed Nasogel, $7.99
1 Reese's PB Cup, $0.50
Used $21 ECB
=$0.98 off GC
Earned $5 ECB for Rogaine, $7.98 ECB for Nutra-trim, $7.99 for Nasogel

I will go ahead and account for the Orajel rebate stamp below, but otherwise no oop to account for below.

Total spent so far: $125.82
Remaining on Acme GC: $35.22
Pending rebates: $41.90
"So it's really like": $48.70 spent this year

Pathmark triples: crackers, anyone?

The coupons I ordered from Ebay showed up Tuesday and I finally had a chance to hit the store today. I was pleasantly surprised that Pathmark had tons of these in stock; usually they are the worst store about having sale items past the first or second day.



The two pictures are separate hauls. We had to do five separate transactions because only four like coupons triple. 20 pounds of crackers!

20 Keebler Club crackers, $1.88 each minus $0.50/1 MQ tripled = $0.38 each
Total: $7.60

I feel like $7.60 is a lot to spend on crackers...but then I have to pinch myself and remember that a normal person would go in the store and spend that much on two boxes on a non-sale week. And hopefully these will last us a loooooong time.

Total spent so far: $125.40
Remaining on Acme GC: $35.22
Pending rebates: $33.90
"So it's really like": $56.28 spent this year

Shoprite and a dinner

It feels so weird when I go the store and do not use a single coupon! This was yesterday:
4.8 lb London Broil ($1.99/lb), $9.71
4 cans Shoprite beans, $0.50 each wyb 4, $2.00
5 cans College Inn chicken broth, $0.40 each wyb 5, $2
Minus $0.05 reusable bag credit = $13.66

We already have plenty of meat in the fridge/freezer, but we haven't actually had beef all year so far. A key component of this grocery challenge is keeping Ryan on board, and like most guys, he loves his red meat. Sometimes London Broil goes on sale a little cheaper than this, but it's a pretty good price. Last night I made beef and broccoli stir fry with about a quarter of the meat. I'll be making a huge batch of pot roast tomorrow with the rest. No, it's not a traditional roast cut, but it will cook up tender and pull apart after a day in the crockpot.

I will submit my receipt from this trip toward a beer rebate (Budweiser $10 Family Fiesta). Beer rebates are awesome. I can never find the forms myself (probably because I hardly ever go to the liquor store), but I trade for them on Hot Coupon World or buy them off Ebay. One good thing about NJ is that it's a NBPR (no beer purchase required) state. So basically, you get ahold of a form, buy whatever they require, and send in the form and your receipt. They mail you a check. No beer purchase required in NJ! It's pretty much free money.

An example form (not the Family Fiesta, but I'll be doing this one too!):
So for this one, I will probably buy Ryan $10 worth of Doritos, since he really likes those and there's never coupons. It usually runs about $1.42 ($1 plus a stamp) to "trade" with someone for a form, then a $0.42 stamp for me to submit the actual rebate. So voila, 5ish bags of Doritos for $1.84. Or in the case of the Shoprite trip above, 4.8 lbs of meat for $1.84.

The chicken broth was a really good price, and although my first experience making my own broth worked out well last week, I'm sure for convenience's sake it will be worth having some canned stuff. Making my own broth is a good activity for when I have extra time and am feeling domestic, but you can't just whip up a quick batch the day of a meal.

Sunday night's dinner: Chicken Piccata, couscous, and green beans with almonds.
I used my homemade chicken broth for the Piccata sauce. We got the recipe from Ryan's grandma and it's my favorite chicken recipe ever. Then again, I really like capers (an acquired taste), but they're optional. I'll post the recipe some time when I'm feeling more like it.

Cost breakdown for 4 servings:
Green beans: $0.25 (box of Green Giant from Pathmark triples)
Couscous: $1 (Near East brand, sale at Shoprite a while back)
Chicken: $2.75 (cut from Acme bone-in)
Egg, butter: free (WAG GC)
Chicken broth: $0.25 (homemade)
Capers, lemon juice, spices: $0.50
Total: $4.75, or $1.19 per person! Nom nom nom!

Total spent so far: $117.80
Remaining on Acme GC: $35.22
Pending rebates: $33.90
"So it's really like": $48.68 spent this year

CVS, Walgreens

Snacks!

CVS #1 (my card):
4 Tostitos, $3 each
1 Rogaine for Men, $19.99
1 Box CVS candy canes on 90% clearance, $0.09
- $5/30 email coupon
- $15 Rogaine IP MQ
- $12 ECB
= $0.30 oop, paid cash
Received $5 ECB for Rogaine, working toward Pepsi deal (spend $20 get $10 ECB, I am over halfway there)

CVS #2 (Ryan's card):
2 Tostitos, $3 each
1 Rogaine for Men, $19.99
2 Sierra Mist 2L, $1.25 each
2 boxes Soyjoy bars, $6 each
4 12 packs Diet Cherry Pepsi, $3 each
1 small CVS pretzels, $0.79
- $10/50 CRT (cash register tape coupon)
-$15 Rogaine IP
-$27.95 in ECB
= $0.33 oop, paid cash
Received $12 ECB for Soyjoy, $10 ECB for Pepsi, and $5 ECB for Rogaine

I will send in the UPC's and receipts from these two transactions for the Pepsi offer here. I did the same offer last year. They send you 5 coupons good for $2 off a Pepsi 12 pack and 5 coupons good for $1 off Pepsico chips (including Tostitos, Doritos, Lays, etc). That will help me get more cheap/free soda later on.

Walgreens:
5 Skippy peanut butter, $1.99 each, used one $0.35/1 MQ and one $0.75/2 MQ
3 Ragu , $1.99 each, used $1/3 MQ
- $5 Register Reward (RR)
= $8.82 off gift card
Earned $10 RR for buying 8 Unilever products

Oh, I should also account for some money spent on stamps. I traded to get the Rogaine IPs (they wouldn't work on my computer) and a rebate form, so 3 stamps = $1.26

Total spent so far: $104.14
Remaining on Acme GC: $35.22
Pending rebates: $25.74
"So it's really like": $43.18 spent this year

More Pathmark triples, Kmart Super Doubles

I had a great day of wheelin' and dealin'!

Pathmark:

1 Rice a Roni, $0.99 - $0.50 MQ tripled = FREE
4 Maruchan Yakisoba, $0.99 - $0.35 MQ tripled = FREE
4 Wacky Mac, $1.39 - $0.50 IP MQ tripled = FREE
1 French's honey mustard, $1.69 - $0.75 MQ tripled = FREE
1 Lindt Excellence bar, $2.00 - $0.75 MQ tripled = FREE
2 Ortega chili seasoning, $0.69 - $0.75/2 tripled = FREE
1 Knorr seasoning packet, $1.25 - $0.40 tripled = $0.05
1 Quaker rice cakes, $1.25 - $1 MQ = $0.25
2 Fiber One toaster pastries, $2.59 each - 2 $0.75 IP MQ tripled = $0.68
1 Smithfield bacon, $2.49 - $0.55 MQ tripled = $0.84
8 Green Giant boxed veggies, $1 each minus 4 $0.50/2 MQ = $2.00
Plus $0.05 tax equals $3.87

The toaster pastries were labeled with sale tags that should have made them free after the triple coupons, but I wasn't going to press the issue because my coupons were actually marked "Do Not Double." $0.34 each is not bad. All the Green Giants rang up at $1 today, which made me happy. Curiously, all the diet Sunkist in the store was gone! There was tons yesterday, and still tons of non-diet Sunkist today (the peelies were good on either, but we only drink diet). It's almost as if the CS people were so annoyed by dealing with my beeping Sunkist coupon that they hid all the diet from me :?

The French's honey mustard, Knorr packet, Quakes, and Ortega packets are all coupons from the January 18 paper. I get Sunday-only home subscription of the Philly Inquirer, but what they actually do is deliver the ads and coupons on Saturday and the news sections on Sundays. I will definitely be trying to get more Ortega coupons before triples is over (Ryan prefers their chili seasonings over my from-scratch "recipe". Hmph!)

Kmart (last day of Super Doubles):
Two different views of the same 22-bag stash:


$3.08 total, all tax! They're on sale for $3.99, used a $2 MQ on each that gets doubled up to the price of the item. We did this over two stores. I also gave a coupon away to a guy who was buying some. I explained how it was doubles and it would be free with the coupon, also mentioning that I had plenty of coupons for myself (people are usually concerned that I'm losing out by giving my coupons away). He asked how I did it, and I told him how I bought 20 coupons on Ebay for $2.00. His jaw dropped in amazement! And these are on top of the 6 bags I got last Sunday :)

This oughta keep our four hungry hippos satiated for at least a couple months. Remember, this $3.08 will not be added to my spending total because cat food is not part of the budget.

Total spent so far: $102.25
Remaining on Acme GC: $35.22
Pending rebates: $25.74
"So it's really like": $41.29 spent this year

Kraft Coupon Giveaway

Sign up here for a chance to win $15 worth of free item coupons from Kraft. There will be about 48,000 winners. I won on my first try! Lots of other people are winning on their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th tries. Give it a shot here. And since you'll end up on their mailing list, who knows what other coupons they might send in the future?

Kmart, Acme, Pathmark triples

I had a busy morning of shopping. The Goodlife cat food coupons I traded for finally arrived, so I went to Kmart hoping to get 7 bags. They were all out :( All I got was a 3 lb bag of Meow Mix Wholesome Goodness (not pictured). $4.99 - $2 MQ doubled = $1.20 after tax. Cat food isn't part of the budget, though, although I'm thinking I'll keep track of it on the side just out of curiousity.

I made a quick stop at Acme. I'm planning on making homemade chicken broth for the first time, so for once I got a cut of chicken that's different from boneless, skinless breasts: bone-in, skin-on breasts! Baby steps... I think it's a good price, although I haven't tracked the price of them before the last week. I will cut the majority of the meat off the bone and use it just like my normal meat, then boil the hell out of the bone and remaining meat (along with veggies and seasonings).
6.25 lb split chicken breast ($0.99/lb) = $6.19
1 bulb garlic ($3.49/lb) = $0.38
Total $6.57 off GC

Pathmark: TRIPLES! Coupons up to $0.99 are tripled up to the cost of the item (no overage, unlike at Superfresh).
6 2L Diet Sunkist on sale for $0.68 (limit 6, addl. $20 purchase reqd.), used 3 $1/2 MQ = $1.08
5 lb bag carrots = $2.99
Celery = $1.99 (ugh, I could have got this for $1.25 at Shoprite but forgot. It was also $1.99 at Acme)
2 Green Giant boxed veggies, $1 each, used $0.50/2 tripled to $1.50/2 = $0.50
2 Green Giant Simply Steam veggies- marked $1 each, but rang up $2.29 each- I may bring my receipt back to CS next trip to get reimbursed- used $0.50/2 tripled to $1.50/2 = $3.08 instead of the $0.50 it should have been like the others >:(
12 cans Campbells Chunky/Healthy Harvest soup, $1.25 each, used 6 $0.50/2 tripled to $1.50/2 = $6.00
2 bags Wacky Mac pasta, $1.39, used $0.50/1 internet printable Q tripled = FREE
1 box Eggo waffles, $2.00, used $0.75 MQ tripled = FREE
1 Maruchan (the ramen people) Yakisoba, $0.99, used $0.35/1 tripled = FREE
1 Blue Bunny ice cream (Bunny Tracks! Cute!), $2.99, used $0.55/1 tripled = $1.34
Total after $0.28 tax (on soda) = $18.26

I was thinking the total was a little high on my way out, and my intuition proved to be correct. There were so many multiplied items that it would have been difficult to find the problem while I was still there, without a calculator. Ehh, $2.58 is not that big of a deal...I doubt I will bring it up when I go back later next week (I ordered coupons off Ebay for super cheap crackers).

The fridge and freezer are totally stocked. I'm not going to buy much else food this month unless it's free or really close.

Spent this year: $98.38
Left on Acme GC: $35.22
Pending Rebate: $25.74
"So it's really like": $37.42 spent for the year

Rite Aid, CVS, Shoprite, Dinner

The Whipps bars from Rite Aid: on sale 2/$1 through Saturday, used 6 $1/2 MQ = just paid $0.42 tax. I even resurrected the four we ate last night for this picture:


I was irritated at CVS because they were out of everything I had planned on buying. So instead of earning ECBs, I burnt some. We needed something yummy to drink to get us to the Pepsi deal that starts Sunday.
On Ryan's card:
13 boxes CVS candy canes (cherry flavor) on 90% clearance, so $0.09 apiece = $1.17
2 packs CVS sparkling flavored water at $3.97 apiece = $7.94
1 cent tax (the amount paid for by ECB is not taxed)
Used $8.97 ECB
Out of pocket: $0.15
Earned $4 ECB for sparkling water

Shoprite: Most stuff was on sale.

6 boxes pasta, $0.54 each
3 Lysol wipes, $1.49 each minus 3 $1 MQ
4 cans Shoprite beans, $0.50 each
5 lbs. russet potatoes, $1.49
24 oz. frozen corn, $1.39
24 oz. frozen peas, $1.39
Red pepper, $0.87
1.3 lbs. ground turkey ($1.99/lb), $2.59
Perdue chicken nuggets, $1.99 minus $1 MQ
3.6 lbs. broccoli crowns ($0.99/lb), 3.56
Clearance bruschetta bread, $0.74
Total after $0.31 tax and $0.10 reusable bag credit = $19.94

I hate that I had to pay full price for frozen veggies, but the free Green Giant steamers I got all have sauce (they were the only ones I could find), and I need plain veggies for the meals I have planned for the next few days. As you can see, we REALLY like broccoli, and that's as cheap as it gets in the grocery store.

Tonight's dinner: turkey chili

Contents:
Ground turkey from Shoprite = $2.59 (today)
Onion from last year's garden = FREE
Pureed Muir Glen tomatoes = FREE (Superfresh two weeks ago)
2 cans beans, 1 kidney and 1 white = $1 (today)
1 cup corn = $0.35 (today)
Various spices = $0.02 (most from CVS)
Serve with tortilla chips = $0.20 (1/4 of salty snack rebate cost/postage)
Total: $4.16, Serves 5-6

We pretty much always make at least 4 servings of whatever we're cooking, then take leftovers to work the next day. If we're lucky we'll even have another lunch portion left after that.

Spent this year: $80.12
Pending rebates: $25.74
Acme GC balance: $41.79
"So it's really like I've only spent": $12.59

Aww...actually dipping into my real money now!

I am a moron

After many a trip when I've realized I forgot my coupons, ECB's, shopping scenario/list, etc, I have gotten into the habit of triple-checking that I have these items.

Last night I went to Shoprite because we were getting low on "real" food. I was planning on hitting a CVS and Rite Aid on the way home, too. I loaded up my cart with broccoli, potatoes, pasta, canned beans, ground turkey (we've replaced ground beef with turkey for everything except burgers- healthier, cheaper, and tastes just as good!), frozen veggies, and a few other things. I was about to wheel into the checkout when I realized that I forgot my WALLET at home. While I was on break from school the wallet resided in my purse, but now it's in my backpack during the day. Seeing as I'd already loaded up everything, I considered calling Ryan and having him drive to the store with some method of payment. But genius that I am, my PHONE was also at home in my backpack. I suppose I could have asked at the CS desk to make a call, but although I'm sure Ryan would've done it for me, I also didn't feel like waiting around. So I sheepishly went around the store putting things back and then left empty-handed. I went straight home because even though my CVS and RA trips would have been very low cost, I had not even a penny on my person.

I was grumpy when I got home and changed immediately into my PJs. I had been hoping to have free Reeses Whipps candy bars from RA as my evening snack, so was doubly grumpy. Ryan was super nice and went out to RA for me! Not only that, but the first store he went to was out of the Whipps, so he went to a second store to get them. I have him trained so well!

I am attempting Shoprite and CVS again after school today. I promise pictures!

Getting caught up...

I thought of one more rule: save all receipts. Or if I need to send in the receipt for a rebate, make a copy for my records. That way: 1) If I acquire a rebate form later, I may already have fulfilled the requirements and can use a receipt from my collection, 2) I have a copy of receipts in case I need to dispute a rebate that never arrives, 3) I always have the raw data to further analyze my spending, 4) if I were to be accused of shoplifting the stuff I sell at the flea market, I have proof that I "purchased" them all. Unlikely, but hey, you never know.

Here's what I've spent so far this year that falls under the budget:

• 12/27/08: Acme giftcards (so I could apply for a gift card rebate): -$50.00
• 1/4/09: Rite Aid (stuff for Single Check Rebate): -$4.21
• 1/4/09: Superfresh (triple coupon week): -$1.27
• 1/4/09: Pathmark (triple coupon week): -$0.48
• 1/6/09: Superfresh (still triples): -$0.33
• 1/6/09: Pathmark (you got it, triples): -$0.48
• 1/9/09: CVS: -$0.40
• 1/9/09: CVS: -$0.23
• 1/11/09: Kmart (super doubles): -$2.21
  

In addition, I also made three trips to Walgreens. That spending is "off the books" since it is my existing gift card, but I spent $15.38 total, still have a $5 Register Reward to use later, and will earn $1.65 in rebates ($1.50 for Electrasol plus 10% Walgreens gift card bonus). I also amassed a ton of shampoos and conditioners to sell at the flea market (will add that $ back in when I actually sell them). I have also used $8.20 off my Acme gift card, but I've already accounted for the cost of that gift card (and I have $41.80 left!).

Rebates I have applied for so far:

• Heineken gift card rebate: $20 minus $1.26 postage, etc = +$18.74 once it comes in
• Rite Aid SCR: +$7.00 once it comes in

So, in summary, I am in great shape (budgetwise...I could really stand to get more exercise though!). I will calculate a few totals: first, I'll take the most conservative approach to my calculations and not add in my rebate money until I receive it (it's rare, but sometimes they don't come). But to make me feel better, I will also calculate what my total would be if I added pending rebates and my big Acme card balance.

Total spent so far: -$59.61
Left on Acme gift card: +$41.80
Pending rebates: +$25.74
"So it's really like": +$7.93, as in, I haven't touched my $2009 yet! Boo yeah!

$2009 in 2009 Challenge

I'm glad you found my deals blog! Basically, I get a ton of stuff for free or close to it using coupons, rebates, and other similar promotions. I like to call getting insanely good deals "wheelin' and dealin'" because it encompasses the hustle, skills, and determination that these deals require. It takes a while to master and is definitely a time-suck, but for me the rewards are worth it. The thrill of getting a great deal is my kind of entertainment.

Also, I wheel my shopping cart and deal my coupons to the cashier.

About me:

• I am (almost) 27 years old.
• I married Ryan in 2008. I can usually persuade him to help me wheel and deal, but I'm the brains of the operation (dealwise, at least).
• We own a home in southern New Jersey. 13.5 years left on the mortgage...
• We have four cats. I am always on the lookout for cat food or litter deals.
• I grow my own vegetables during the summer.
  
• I am in graduate school for a PhD in ecology, and get free tuition and paid a decent stipend as long as I also work as a teaching assistant. I have about 3 years left in my program, but I'm in no hurry to finish in this job market.
• Ryan is an engineer. He is very smart, works very hard, and gets paid accordingly (cha-ching!).
• We are not planning to have children, but if we did, they'd be exceedingly smart, and ridiculously nearsighted.

I can be found W&D at these stores (in descending order of frequency):

1. CVS (drugstore)
2. Shoprite (grocery)
   
3. Walgreens (drugstore)
4. Pathmark (grocery)
5. Acme (grocery)
6. Superfresh (grocery)
7. Rite Aid (drugstore)
8. Kmart
9. Target

I can be found looking for deals online at Slickdeals and Hot Coupon World (username at both: kittensmittens)

I have been at this wheelin' and dealin' game since fall 2007. I'm not sure exactly how much I've saved so far, but it's definitely been in the thousands of dollars. And that's saved versus my old shopping habits, where I followed the old rules of buying generic and buying in bulk. I like setting challenging goals for myself, though, which is why I started...

~~~~~THE $2009 in 2009 HOUSEHOLD BUDGET!!!~~~~~

The rules are as follows:

1. I began the year with $2009 available in cash, as well as $70 on a Walgreens gift card and roughly $70 CVS in ECB's. Those are the only monetary tools at my disposal for the whole year!
2. The budget encompasses all food, expendable household items, and personal care products for both me and Ryan. The only exceptions are cat food/litter and prescription copays. "Expendable" household items would be something like paper towels, whereas I would not include a more enduring purchase such as, for example, cloth towels.
3. How will I do it while maintaining a varied and healthy menu? Wheelin' and dealin'!
4. Food that was already in my stockpile before January 1, 2009 is fair game to eat; I don't need to account for how much it cost. But on this note, I didn't purposely buy a ton of stuff just to get around the $2009 limit. I just stocked up on good deals as usual. Similarly, there should be some food left in the stockpile on December 31, 2009. Such is the neverending "Circle of Deals."
5. Fruits and veggies from the garden are also "free." I will not be accounting for the cost of seeds, fertilizer, etc, since it is a hobby I really enjoy. In NJ we have cold winters, though, so there's only fresh produce May-November or so.
6. Any money spent will be deducted from my running total, including the tiniest purchases, going out to eat, etc.
7. I can also add money to my available total by turning profits on rebates or selling goods at the biannual town flea market as I've done once before (or on rare occasion, having the cashier actually hand us money. This has only happened once, since I try to stay under the radar. It was actually Ryan by himself because our math was off. He got paid $0.17 or something.)
8. I have a little money in a Paypal account (like $35 at the moment) that's solely from referral earnings at a GPT site, Squishycash. That's my coupon fund for acquiring hard-to-get coupons or rebate forms online. It's free money, but only because I exerted no effort to get it (my referrals did all the work). If you would like to become one of my referrals, click here :) Eventually you'll have referrals of your own and be able to rest on your laurels, too! Just don't use your real phone number for the offers, or you'll never hear the end of the telemarketers!
9. I deduct the cost of stamps for mail-in rebates and coupon trades.
   
10. I should probably also deduct the cost of my Sunday paper subscription from the budget, too.
11. I will try to take and post pictures of my hauls, or at least the impressive ones.
12. It will be awesome.

There ya go. I will post a few deal pictures next time and get caught up on what I've spent so far.