Pathmark, Acme

Pathmark:
This trip is part of their "$0.77 sale"

8 Hamburger/Tuna/Chicken Helper, $0.77 each = $6.16
4 Bumblebee tuna, $0.77 each = $3.08
Store brand ketchup = $0.77
2 dozen eggs, $0.77/dozen = $1.54
2 Ortega chili seasoning, $0.69 each minus $1/2 MQ = $0.38
McCormick Grill Mates marinade, $0.99 minus $0.50 MQ doubled = FREE
4 Barilla piccolini pasta, $0.89 each minus 4 $0.50 MQ doubled = FREE
V8 Fusion juice, $2.50 minus $2 IP MQ = $0.50
1/2 gallon milk = $2.59
10.88 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast at $1.79/lb = $19.48
Total: $34.49

We are now very stocked up on chicken!


Acme:
4 Viva paper towels, $1.99 each minus 2 $0.85 MQ fully doubled and one $0.50/2 doubled = $3.56
2 Formula 409 cleaner, $2.50 each minus 2 $0.75 MQ fully doubled = $2.00
4 McCormick taco seasoning, BOGO at $1.09, used 2 $0.75 MQ doubled = FREE
$0.30 tax
Total: $5.86
Earned $5 ONYO CAT and FREE Sierra Mist CAT

Year to date:
Total spent: $752.95
Remaining on Target GC: $5.00
Pending rebates: $64.13
Rebates received: $91.53
"So it's really like": $592.29 spent

We don't usually watch Wheel of Fortune, but we were too lazy to change the channel after Jeopardy last night. And the answer to the first puzzle was (the hint: activity):

Wheeling and dealing

Woohoo!

Kmart, Superfresh, Produce Junction

Kmart:
4 Whiskas Purrfectly Fish pouch food, $4.69 each minus 4 $2 MQ doubled = $2.76
4 Secret Flawless deodorant, $3.69 each minus 4 $2 MQ doubled = FREE
Right Guard deodorant, $1.59 (clearance) minus $1 MQ doubled = FREE
4 Hormel Compleats, $2.00 each minus 4 $1 MQ doubled = FREE
Vitaminwater (not pictured), $1.00 minus $1.00 MQ = FREE
$1.45 tax
Total: $3.21

The cats will be happy. They've had this flavor before and it stinks to high heaven, but they eat it fast and then the smell is mostly gone.


Superfresh:
5 Marcal toilet paper 4 packs, $0.99 each minus 5 $1 MQ adjusted down = FREE
2 Hoagie rolls, B1G1 at $1.99 = $1.99
Silk soymilk, $2.49 minus $1 MQ = $1.49
28 lbs Fresh Step kitty litter, $16.29 (?!?! was marked $11.49 on the shelf, will be going back tomorrow to get my $ back) minus $1 MQ = $15.29
Ban deodorant, $1.49 minus $0.75 MQ fully doubled = FREE
Suave deodorant, $0.99 minus $0.50 MQ doubled = FREE
$0.04 bag credit (2 cents a bag?! Shoprite puts Superfresh to shame in this department)
$1.31 tax
Total: $19.53


Produce Junction (not pictured):
1 head cauliflower = $1.00
2 lbs broccoli crowns = $2.00
5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes = $2.00
2 lbs grapes = $1.50
6 Pink Lady apples = $1.00
Total: $7.50


Year to date:
Total spent: $712.60
Remaining on Target GC: $5.00
Pending rebates: $64.13
Rebates received: $91.53
"So it's really like": $551.94 spent

Shoprite

Shoprite, yesterday:
4 Ziploc freezer bags, $1.50 each minus 4 $0.55 MQ doubled to $1 = $2.00
Single roll Marcal toilet paper, $0.99, used free item MQ = FREE
2 Turkey Hill ice cream, $1.79 each minus 2 $1 MQ = $1.58
8 Breyer's yogurt, 3/$1 minus 2 $0.50/4 MQ doubled = $0.67
$0.10 reusable bag credit
$0.33 tax
Total: $5.48

Dunkin' Donuts: 6 donuts at 6/$3...and the guy threw in 3 more for free because it was the evening and they would just get thrown out anyway.
Total: $3.00

March's Rite Aid SCR check came in the mail, so that's $13.98 moved from pending rebates to rebates received.

Year to date:
Total spent: $682.36
Remaining on Target GC: $5.00
Pending rebates: $64.13
Rebates received: $91.53
"So it's really like": $521.70 spent

Shoprite, CVS, Pathmark

Shoprite:
4 Vitaminwater10, $1.00 each minus 4 $1 MQ = FREE
Marcal toilet paper, $0.99 minus FREE MQ = FREE
2 Ziplock bags, $1.50 each minus 2 $0.55 MQ doubled to $1 = $1.00
12 Breyer's yogurt, 3/$1 minus 3 $0.50/4 MQ doubled = $1.00
2 Turkey Hill ice cream, $1.79 each minus 2 $1 MQ = $1.58
Purdue aplit chicken breast, 1.47 lb at $1.49/lb =$2.19
$0.10 reusable bag refund
$0.42 tax
Total: $6.11

CVS (Ryan's card):
5 Diet Pepsi 2L, 5/$5 (supposed to be $1.25 each and get free Sierra Mist wyb 4, but they were out of Sierra Mist so the cashier made the adjustment for me), minus $1/4 MQ = $4.00
Softsoap body wash, $4.99 minus $1 MQ = $3.99
Hawaiian Punch drink mix singles = $1.00
Used $7.98 ECB
oop: $1.22

I accidentally let a bunch of ECBs expire...I thought that yesterday was the 13th but it was really the 14th. I may just let the remaining ones trickle away on FAECB and needed items, then start over in the fall. I have a $50 CVS GC coming in the mail from MyPoints, so that will allow me to get off the ground in the fall with no oop. The sales and coupons are just not that great these days...we need another set of sales like the Black Friday/Listerine weekend pair from November and December 2008.

Pathmark:
4 Eggo Waffles, $0.99 each minus 4 $0.75 MQ doubled = FREE
3 Vitaminwater10, $1.00 each minus 3 $1 MQ = FREE
$0.21 tax = $0.21 total

Year to date:
Total spent: $673.88
Remaining on Target GC: $5.00
Pending rebates: $78.11
Rebates received: $77.55
"So it's really like": $513.22 spent

Behind on my receipts again...

I hope I like Kraft Light Balsamic Vinagrette...I now have 9 big bottles.

Walgreens (not pictured, from last week):
Once a Day drink packets = $1.49
Chapstick Naturals = $1.99
Wal-itin tabs = $6.99
Super stack Pringles = $2.29 (eek! not on sale, but Ryan really wanted)
Used $2 RR
$0.14 tax
Total: $10.90 off GC
Earned $2 RR for Chapstick, will get $9.33 reloaded onto GC in rebates = 110% of (1.49+6.99)


Superfresh transaction 1:
4 Barilla Piccolini pasta, $0.88 each, used 3 $0.50 MQ doubled = $0.36
4 Kraft salad dressing, 3/$5 used 4 $1.50 MQ = $0.67
Store brand ketchup = $1.49
Store brand popcorn = $1.39
Herr's pretzels = $2.50
Total = $6.61
Will submit for Bud Salty Snacks/Condiments rebate, so $4.58 toward pending rebates


Superfresh transaction 2:
Freshchetta frozen pizza, $5.99, used $0.75 MQ fully doubled = $4.49
4 Barilla Piccolini pasta, $0.88 each, used 4 $0.50 MQ doubled = -$0.48 OVERAGE!
6 Kraft salad dressing, 3/$5 used 6 $1.50 MQ = $1.00
Shady Brook Farms Hotel Style turkey breast, 8.46 lb at $0.99/lb = $8.38
Total = $13.43
Will submit this receipt for Bud Chicken/Pizza rebate = $9.59 to pending rebates (also submitting a rotisserie chicken from a couple weeks ago that I hadn't deducted yet)


Wegmans (not pictured):
Rotisserie chicken, $4.99
$0.35 tax
Total: $5.34
Will submit for Bud Chicken/Pizza rebate = $4.99 to pending rebates


Produce Junction (not pictured):
3 lbs broccoli = $2.00
3 large leeks = $1.50
3 lbs carrots = $1.50
Honeydew melon = $1.50
1 lb strawberries = $1.50
Total: $8.00


Shoprite:

2 Doritos, $1.99 each, used $2/2 MQ = $1.98
2 Breyer's Ice Cream, 2/$2.98 with SRQ (forgot to use my MQ!) = $2.98
4 lb. shrimp after SRQ = $19.95
2 Land O Lakes butter, 2/$2.98 with SRQ, tried to use 2 $0.50 MQ doubled (just realized cashier didn't scan second MQ) = $1.98
1 can Dole pineapple = $0.99
2 Marcal toilet paper, $0.99 each, used 2 free item MQ = FREE
3 Ban deodorant, $0.99 each, used 3 $0.75 MQ doubled = FREE
$0.05 reusable bag credit
$0.16 tax
Total: $27.97; I will be able to sell the deodorants for at least $3-4 total at the flea market

I received my $8 Orajel rebate check this week.

Year to date:
Total spent: $666.34
Remaining on Target GC: $5.00
Pending rebates: $78.11
Rebates received: $77.55
"So it's really like": $505.68 spent

Oregon trip wrap-up

We've been back from the trip since Tuesday evening but I haven't had the motivation to update. I'm just discouraged in general because we spent as much in 4 days as we spend most months :/ Eating out is a budget killer.

We didn't spend any money on Sunday, the day of the wedding. The food was very yummy, a big brunch spread with the world's best bacon and a custom crepe station. Monday we ate a lot at the free continental breakfast so we only paid for one meal, an early dinner. Damage: $45.35! Ryan really wanted to go to Claim Jumper, a chain he discovered on a California business trip. There are no locations in the East so I gave in. Their big draw is the desserts. We got the $9 brownie sundae (my hand is in the picture for scale, but the sundae was still bigger than it looks):
On Tuesday, even though we smuggled some food out of the hotel I HAD to get a sandwich at our layover. And Skittles from a vending machine... $7.57 total.

I learned that the town flea market will be May 16. Fortunately I think I can work that in to my schedule, so I should be able to earn back at least $300 into the budget. To elaborate on my weird situation, I am in graduate school for ecology and study the intertidal zone on the New England shore. I will be staying most of the summer at a research station in central Maine while Ryan is back in NJ with the house and kitties. He will visit a couple times as his vacation time allows, but for the most part we will be separated. As far as the food budget goes, it will get interesting. I can't expect Ryan to do as much wheeling and dealing as I usually do, so I'm trying to stockpile stuff for him. He will be eating veggies from our garden. I will take a mini stockpile up with me, and can hopefully find some cheap local produce. The research station is about 45 minutes from the nearest town with full-size supermarkets, so I'll have to limit my shopping to once a week. They have Shaw's (related to Acme) and Hannaford's up there, so I'll have to get used to those. Also, I'll have to make room in the budget for the local specialty and my favorite protein source, LOBSTER! Nom, nom, nom!

After the Oregon trip, my much less impressive totals are now:

Year to date:
Total spent: $604.99
Remaining on Target GC: $5.00
Pending rebates: $66.95
Rebates received: $69.55
"So it's really like": $463.49 spent