February month in review

Major announcement!!!
Based on my spending so far, I am lowering my total yearly budget to $1600! Just by chance, my February "it's really like" is only $0.56 off of January's total. I guess I am a pretty consistent spender! I still left a little wiggle room; $1600 should be plenty.

Year to date:
Total spent: $320.93
Remaining on Acme GC: $1.73
Pending rebates: $52.62
Rebates received: $47.00
"So it's really like": $218.58 spent

February only:
Total spent: $97.23 oop
Spent off Acme GC: $23.27
Pending rebates: $10.99
"So it's really like": $109.51

Deal of the month: General Mills CAT at Acme. I got tons of Betty Crocker goodies and was able to get cheap soymilk and kitty litter along the way.

Things I stockpiled a lot of: Betty Crocker stuff, frozen veggies, soda, ground turkey, cereal, razors, Celestial Seasonings tea

Deal that got away: the end of overage at Superfresh :(

Wish I'd gotten more of: too bad I didn't have enough coupons to roll the Pathmark General Mills CAT more than once

Kmart Super Doubles

5 Hormel Compleats, $2.00 each, used 5 $1 MQ doubled = FREE
Gillette body wash, $2.49, used $2 MQ doubled = $0.49
$0.17 tax
Total: $0.66

Yearly totals:
Total spent: $320.93
Remaining on Acme GC: $1.73
Pending rebates: $52.62
Rebates received: $47.00
"So it's really like": $218.58 spent

Superfresh, CVS, lunches out

Superfresh triples transaction 1:
10 Green Giant boxed veggies, $0.90 each WYB 10, used 5 $0.50/2 MQ tripled = $1.50
4 Green Giant Steamers, $1.66/$1.67 each, used 4 $0.50 MQ tripled = $0.67
Dole frozen fruit, $3.99, used $0.75 MQ tripled = $1.74
Carolina white rice, $1.49, used $0.50 MQ tripled = FREE
2 Carolina saffron rice, $0.99 each, used $0.75/2 MQ tripled = FREE
Store brand butter = $1.48 (accidentally left out of picture)
0.98 lb asparagus at $1.49/lb = $1.46
Zone Perfect bar, $0.99, used $0.55 MQ tripled = FREE
Total = $6.35

Superfresh transactions 2 and 3:
7 Green Giant Steamers, $1.66/$1.67 each, used 7 $0.50 MQ tripled = $1.17

CVS, Ryan's card:
CVS brand Drano = $4.59
CVS brand trash bags = $4.59
CVS brand sparkling water = $0.99
Used $10 ECB
Total: $0.18 oop

CVS, my card:
3 Diet Coke/Sprite, $4.99 each = $14.97
Fusion Gamer razor, $7.99, used $4 MQ = $3.99
6 Hour Energy shots =$4.99
2 CVS brand travel size cotton rounds = $1.98
CVS brand antacids, $1.99, used free item coupon = FREE
Used $5/30 CVS email Q, $20.98 ECB
Total: $1.94 oop
Earned $4 ECB for Fusion, $4.99 for 6 Hour Energy

I am mad that I didn't earn any ECBs for the monthly Diet Coke deal. Others have reported that other diet sodas made by the Coke company (i.e. Sprite Zero) work toward the deal. Between the $14.97 I spent today and $7 I spent the other week I should definitely have broken the $20 mark. Also weird is that there's no running total on my reciept for what I've earned toward the amount needed. Sigh.

Also a bummer is that no ECBs printed for the cotton rounds. A few people have reported not getting theirs, but others were getting some. This means I'm down to $10.98 in ECB on my card :( That's why I had Ryan buy the Drano and trash bags we needed.

Each of us went out to lunch this week, Ryan because he had to go out with co-workers, and me because I was meeting a friend in downtown Philly.
Ryan pizza: $7.50
My salad, tax, tip: $14.00

Yearly totals:
Total spent: $320.27
Remaining on Acme GC: $1.73
Pending rebates: $52.62
Rebates received: $47.00
"So it's really like": $217.92 spent

Acme

I had $25 in rebate checks arrive today: $10 for the Bud Family Fiesta and $15 for the Bud Bowl Deli/Pizza. Bud has been very good to me lately!

I also went to Acme today before the sales cycle changes:
4 Diet Sunkist, $1.00 each, used 2 $1/2 peelie MQ = $2.00
5 Shady Brook Farms ground turkey, $1.99 each = $9.95
4 Mentos gum, $1.00 each, used $0.55 MQ that doubled to $1.40 = -$0.40 overage!
$0.41 tax
Total: $11.96 off GC

Yearly totals:
Total spent: $289.13
Remaining on Acme GC: $1.73
Pending rebates: $52.62
Rebates received: $47.00
"So it's really like": $187.78 spent

Acme, Pathmark

We were getting low on meat so I cashed out some CATs.

Acme:
4 20 oz. packages Shady Brook Farms ground turkey, $1.99 each = $7.96
2 2L Sunkist, $1.00 each, used $1/2 peelie MQ = $1.00
Acme syrup = $1.99
4 Mentos gum on clearance for $0.79, used 4 $0.55 MQ doubled up to price of gum = FREE
Plus $0.30 tax
Used $10 GM CAT
Total: $1.25 off GC

Woohoo! I had been hoping to get overage on the gum and didn't, but oh well. I thought that the turkey was $1.99/lb, which is a good sale price, but it's actually $1.99 for 1.25 lb, which is actually $1.59/lb! I may go back for more even without CATs to use up.


Pathmark:
4.06 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts at $1.98/lb = $8.04
2.42 lb bananas at $0.69/lb = $1.67
Used $8 GM CAT, got $0.02 bag credit
Total: $1.69

Yearly totals:
Total spent: $289.13
Remaining on Acme GC: $13.69
Pending rebates: $77.62
Rebates received: $22.00
"So it's really like": $175.82 spent

Some rebate checks arrived...

In yesterday's mail I got a $5 check for Bud Bowl Snacks rebate and a $10 check for the Bud Bowl C-Store Party rebate.

I am changing my "yearly totals" slightly. There will be a new category for value of rebates received. That way my total spent actually reflects my oop. I am adding $7 to both my total spent and rebates received for my January Rite Aid SCR.


Yearly totals:
Total spent: $287.44
Remaining on Acme GC: $14.94
Pending rebates: $77.62
Rebates received: $22.00
"So it's really like": $172.88 spent

Kmart Super Doubles

Vaseline Intensive Care hand cream, $2.99, used $1.50 MQ doubled = FREE
Olay Mousse facial cleanser, $3.29, used $2 MQ doubled = FREE
Hormel Compleats, $2.00, used $1 MQ doubled = FREE
2 Schick Quattro disposable razors, $5 each, used 2 $2 MQ doubled = $2.00
Plus $0.67 tax = $2.67

I will be going back for more Compleats, lotion, and maybe mousse. The razors, lotion, and mousse I will sell for $2 or $3 each at the flea market (after keeping one of each for myself).

Goodlife Recipe cat food was $4.99 and Healthful Life was $5.49, so even though I had $2 coupons for both, I passed. It seems like Kmart has had super doubles once per month, and my coupons are good until April. So I'm holding out hope that the cat food will be on sale during potential doubles in March. If it's still not on sale then, I'll buy it at $0.99 and $1.49 a bag before my coupons expire.

Yearly totals:
Total spent: $280.44
Remaining on Acme GC: $14.94
Pending rebates: $92.62
"So it's really like": $172.88 spent