CVS through 2/28

There's not a whole lot going on at CVS this week. Monthly deals end this week, so stock up!

**Renuzit Tri-Scent (monthly deal) $5.49 with 2 ECB, use the $4 newspaper Q for $.51 profit.

**Extreme Energy 6 hour $4.99, get $4.99 ECB = free. This is different from the monthly energy one.

Clearance to look for:

**Boost Smoothies $2.12. Use $2 peelies from other Boost items in the store. Get $1 ECB back on each one = $.88 profit

**Mylanta Ultimate $3.50. Use $4 off 2 coupon from paper & get $3 ECB back for each one = $3 profit.

**Airborne Squid Soap is on clearance for about a $1. I found it on the bottom shelf of the children's drug section. There was a coupon for $2 off ANY Airborne. The coupon will probably beep - buy 2 products and they should either adjust the coupon to the product value or just push it through to get 2 for free. The first picture is what's on the coupon that says ANY. The second picture is the squid soap.

___________________
YTD Out of Pocket: $44.43
YTD Saved: $425.46
YTD Profit: $14.83
as of 2/20

Wags through 2/27

****Excedrin 20 ct Express Gels and 24ct everything else is $1.99 with $1 Register Reward. There were $1 coupons in the 1/4 newspaper. Here is a $1 off any Express Gels (search through the coupons) and here is a $2 off Excedrin Migraine. With these coupons you'll either get it for free or make a $1 profit.
****Gillette Gamer Razor is $8.99 with $6 RR. If you are still hanging on to that $4 Razor coupon from the 2/8 paper you are sooner or later going to run out of sales! So go, buy the razor and make a $1 profit! p.s. the Venus Embrace razor is also in this deal - you would be pay $1 for it after the $2 coupon.
****Hershey's Candy is BOGO with the Wags in-ad coupon. There were BOGO manufacturer coupons for the Hershey bars in the 11/9 & 1/25 papers. BOGO + BOGO = free.
****If you missed the last Theraflu/Triminic sale it's going on again this week, check the details here, FYI .60 profit.
****Reynolds wrap (20 ft) is $.89 with the Wags in-ad coupon. Use the $1 manufacturer coupon for an $.11 profit.
****This is your last week for monthly deals!!!
__________________________________________
YTD Out of Pocket: $64.64
YTD Saved: $114.49
YTD Profit: $5.76

Free Pancakes at IHOP tomorrow!

Click here for details!

Meijer through the 21st...I know, I stink

When Kroger is across the street, a 15 minute trip to Miejer can seem out of the way. I saw some great deals this week so decided I'd go on the way home from work...not too much out of the way when I do that. I know I am a terrible savings blogger when I show the deals the day before they end, but I had a great trip, and had to share!

I have a pretty good stockpile of food, so I usually don't spend more than $40 a week on groceries. But Meijer had me yesterday and just wouldn't let go. I saved over $80 and spent $71.89.
First of all, I am a sucker for clearance items. My husband and I both are. When we go to Target, we usually make our way to the registers via the back aisles - the clearance shelves. Well, Meijer throws their clearance any which way and I mazed through the store ONLY because I came in on the wrong side - otherwise I would've just gotten the food - I mean it! Well, I got heart ice cube trays (for ice, chocolates, suckers...lots of molding possibilities) for .84. I got a package of 6 red hard plastic plates for .99 which I'll use to put Christmas sweets on as gifts. I got a sippy cup for $1.99 (the straw ones)...can you believe that is a good deal, geez. And then I got a set of 4 Crayola finger paints for $3.49. It wasn't that great of a deal but I can't resist my little boy with 4 stitches.

They have a ton of items 10 for $10 get the 11th free (mix and match)
- - 10 Quakes Rice Cakes, lots of flavor, yum, I had 10 - $1 off coupons making them all free, reg price $1.79
- -2 Bull's Eye BBQ, reg price $1.49
- -2 Knorr Lipton Sides, used .75 off 2, reg price $1.64
- -4 packages Meijer baggies, reg price $1.72
- -2 Totino's pizza rolls, used .40 of 2, doubled to .80, reg price $1.66
- -2 Meijer organic mushrooms, reg price $2, FREE as 21st & 22nd purchase
Good prices, but not part of 10/$10:
**Bertolli pasta sauce $2 - only certain brands have the yummy white sauces!
**Miejer milk $2 (can you believe how much milk has gone down!?!?)
**Nutrigrain bars 5/$10, however when you buy 5 Kellogg's products you get milk for free...I bought 6, used 3 - $1/2 off coupons and got the milk above for free
**Frozen Chicken breasts are $5 for 40oz bag = $2 per lb, which is a super deal.
**I also got some great steaks and sausages at 40% off because of the sell by date. All stores vary, but I'm sure you'll find something!

For this post I was just planning on uploading my receipt with some great notes but apparently it doesn't get any bigger in the format I used...blah...I did half the receipt to make sure it worked, and when it didn't I stopped...but you wouldn't know that because you can't see it!

Cheap Diapers!

I heart Pampers. In a pinch, I will buy store brand, but I REALLY love Pampers. Diaper prices have been increasing about $1 a year and the amount per package has decreased by a few diapers every year - so when there is a good deal available, I jump at it.

Diapers.com is having a diaper sale this week - if you purchase $50 of merchandise, put in BETS4617 as your coupon code and get $10 off your order. Additionally, you may submit for a $14.97 rebate on your purchase.

I was buying Pampers, like I said, so I got an xl case for $44.99 (5 jumbos usually has the same amount as one xl case, that would have cost $54.95). There is a TON of stuff on the website to get me to $50, but I went for the Diaper Genie Refill, because I can never find them on sale. My total was $51.98, I paid $41.98 out of pocket, and will get rebate of $14.97. So, if I take the Diaper Genie out of the equation I'll have spent $20.02 on diapers - translate that into 5 jumbo packs and it was $4 per pack (and Kroger brand was on sale for $5.99 last week - i.e. this is a GREAT DEAL)

Walgreens through 2/21

Not too much going on this week...However, if your heart is set on hitting Wags this week, you can still go for the monthly deals.

Revlon Lip Color is BOGO this week and the Revlon Creme Lip Gloss is FAR this month, so you would buy one, get one for free & then submit a rebate for the one you bought = 2 free

If you're new or need a refresher, check out Wags-How To

CVS through 2/21

This is a great week to build your ECBs. Neutrogena is a no-brainer with no coupons required and Colgate will also give you a good profit if you have the newspaper/magazine coupons.

**Neutrogena is buy two products get $10 ECB. The $2.99 facial bar soaps (3.5 oz) original or fragrance free is working for this deal. So that is a $4.02 profit!!!
**Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste is $2.99, free after ECB. There was a $1.50 coupon in the March All You Magazine. There was $1 coupon from the 2/1 newspaper and here is a $1 IP. So your profit is $1 to $1.50!
**Gillette Fusion Gamer is still $7.99 with $4 ECB, use the $4 coupon from the 2/8 newspaper and get if for free
**Gillette Shampoo (mens) is $4.99, with $3 ECB, use the $2 coupon from the 1/18 newspaper and get it for free

..and don't forget about the monthly deals
if you're new or need a refresher, check out CVS-How To
________________________________________
YTD Out of Pocket: $42.33
YTD Saved: $328.43
YTD Profit: $14.89
as of 2/17

Wags-How To

I figured I should explain some of this stuff just in case you don't visit Walgreens as much as I do! These explanations are probably too long, but hopefully it will clear up any confusion. Wags is easy once you get the hang of it, but there are some terms and conditions that will make my Wags scenarioes much easier to understand

Wags/CanIGetItForFree Lingo
RR– Register Reward – may be used like cash on your next purchase
FAR – free after rebate
BOGO – buy one get one
OOP – Out of Pocket
MIR - Mail in Rebate (from manufacturer - not ESC)
Peelie – coupon that is (hopefully) sticking to the product
IP – internet printable coupon
YTD-year to date

Register Rewards explained:

**RRs may be used like cash on your next purchase, however...

**RRs are "coupons" and you must have as many items (or more) as coupons. If you have 5 items and a manufacturer coupons for each item - and you want to use RRs to reduce your out of pocket, pick up an item for each RR you want to use. Look in the ad for in-ad coupons like 8 pencils for $1 (you don't have to buy 8 - just get enough for your RRs) or pick up a candy bar to fix your coupon to item count.
**RRs expire 2 weeks from the date your purchased the item.
**If an RR deal requires that you buy x amount of products or spend x amount of $$ to receive the RR, you must buy all the products in one transaction (CVS keeps track with your card so you can spread your transactions out).

X/XX coupons explained:
Wags puts out $5 off $25 purchase pretty often and I find it VERY exciting! They usually post them on the front page of their website - and I'll be sure to let you know when it happens! The fine print on the coupon usually states that the total must be $25 after manufacturer coupons, but really, this is not the case. The total must be $25 after Walgreens coupons and really that's all that matters (but if you get a cashier that is a fine-print-reader then you may be out of luck...just drive to the next Wags down the street...or just go with it, whatever). You want to ring up all your products, then hand over your Wags coupons, then give them the $5 off coupon (if it's less than $25 before the $5 coupon throw a candy bar in), then hand over all your manufacturer coupons and RRs. Since I get most items for free that I buy at Wags, I often use the $5 coupon to print pictures and buy fun toys for the kid!

BOGO free explained:
If a store sale is BOGO free, you may use a BOGO free coupon on those two items. Technically you are buying one, but then...you're kind of not...and you get them both for free. blah - it works. If a store sale is BOGO and you have two $1 off coupons or something, you might be able to use both, you never really know - just cross your fingers and see if it scans.
If you have a COUPON (not a sale) that is BOGO free , you may use that coupon, plus an additional coupon for the one item you 'bought.' For example you have a Covergirl coupon that is buy one get one free, you may use that and a $1 coupon for the item you "bought." Clear as mud?

Let me know if I missed anything or if you have any questions!

CVS-How To

I figured I should explain some of this stuff just in case you don't visit CVS as much as I do! These explanations are probably too long, but hopefully it will clear up any confusion. CVS is easy once you get the hang of it, but there are some terms and conditions that will make my CVS scenarioes much easier to understand!

CVS/CanIGetItForFree Lingo
ECB – Extra Care Bucks – they print at the end of your receipt when you buy a qualifying item. Use it like cash on your mext purchase
Monthly deals – Each month CVS has deals/ECBS that last all month long.
BOGO – buy one get one free
CRT-Cash Register Tape – coupons that come out at the end of your receipt with ECBs
MIR - Mail in Rebate
OOP – Out of Pocket
Peelie – coupon that is (hopefully) sticking to the product
IP – internet printable coupon
YTD – year to date

Step 1: Get a card. If you are shopping at CVS already and not using your card, shoot me now, because you are not even getting sale prices, let alone ECBs. It’s just like the Kroger card in that you do not get the advertised special unless you swipe it. You may get a card by filling out the form at the store or by applying online However, if you do it online it will take about 2 weeks to get the card – and don’t you want to start NOW?!

Step 2: Grab the weekly and monthly ads and compare advertised ECB items, with the manufacturer coupons you currently have. You are going to get the best deal on ECB items because those crazy advertising people are just trying to get you in the door and don’t think you’re actually going to come back and spent them – but YOU will!

Here are some examples of how you might buy an ECB item
No coupons:
Excedrin $3.99, free after ECB
OOP: $3.99 + tax
ECB received: $3.99

With coupons:
Excedrin $3.99, free after ECB
$2 off Excedrin newspaper coupon OR $2 off Excedrin IP
OOP: $1.99 + tax
ECB received: $3.99 ($2 profit)

With coupons & ECBs:
Excedrin $3.99, free after ECB
$2 off Excedrin coupon
$1 ECB from a previous transaction
OOP: $.99 + tax
ECB Received: $3.99 (still $2 profit because technically you “paid” for that $1 ECB at some point – but your OOP is low!)

Once you get a small collection of ECBs you won’t be spending too much out of pocket, you'll just be recycling your ECB “cash.”

Some ECB deals are buy x amount of products, get x ECBs. For these promotions you do not have to buy all the products in the same transaction. For example, If I buy $12 in Pepsi, I’ll get $3 back. If I bought $9 in Pepsi one day and $3 the next day, I would get them when the total $$ is spent.

ECBs expire 1 month from the date you buy the product – so don’t forget about them!

CRTs that pop up at the end of your receipt may be used WITH manufacturer coupons. If I received a $2 off Excedrin CRT, I could use that with my $2 off Excedrin Manufacturer coupon, making the product free AND I would get the ECBs back.

Most items have a limit for purchases. Excedrin may have a limit of 1 or it may have a limit of 5. The ad should tell you the limit AND the bottom of you receipt will keep a tally of what deals you have done, have completed and still need to complete.

Let me know if I missed anything or if you have any questions!

Walgreens - for you guys that don't get the paper!

There are some great printable coupons that go along with this weeks sales
**Scrubbing Bubbles & Windex Wipes (along with others) are 2 for $5 this week. Print 2 - $1.50 off Windex Wipes and $3 off 2 SB here (and others if you wish). THEN, submit your EasySaver Rebate for $1 on each item. So each item is $2.50, minus $1.50 for each coupon minus $1.10 in rebates (10% gift card bonus) = $.40 profit on 4 items. ALSO there was a try me free rebate for Windex Wipes in the paper about a month ago for an additional $2.50 back(minus the cost of a stamp) = $2.48 profit.
**Ensure $6.99, Use this $3 off coupon and submit for this full rebate and have a $3 profit.
**Gillette Fusion Gamer $8.99, use $4 coupon and get $6 Register Rewards back for $1.01 profit (if you can find it!)
**Progresso soup is 4 for $5 using the in ad coupon. Print this $1.10 off coupon and get it for $.15 each!

Also, don't forget about the very profitable monthly deals from the EasySaver Catalog.

Your transaction might look like this:
2 SB Wipes $5
2 Windex Wipes $5
Ensure $6.99
Gillette Fusion Gamer $8.99
Progresso $1.25

Total: $27.23

Coupons:
Wags Progresso 4/$5 in ad coupon
$3 off 2 SB
2 - $1.50 off Windex Wipes = $3
$3 off Ensure
$4 off Gillette
$1.10 off Progresso

Out of Pocket: $13.13
Register Rewards: $6 for Fusion
Wags Rebates: $4.40 (for 4 cleaning products+ GC bonus)
Manufacturer Rebate: $6 for Ensure & $2.50 Wipes (minus a stamp for each)
Profit: $4.93
__________________________________________
YTD Out of Pocket: $62.45
YTD Saved: $107.29
YTD Profit: $6.95 (thank you rebates with 10% bonus!)

CVS through 2/14

**Wheat Thins are 5 for $5 this week. In last week's paper there was a coupon for $2 off 2. Don't get too excited though, I would call these travel size boxes, they are SO small, but they are also convenient for the diaper bag! But, free is free, so I already got some!
**Gillette Fusion Gamer $7.99, use $4 off Fusion from Sunday's paper and get $4 ECB, free (if you can find it!)
**American Greeting Cards buy 3 get 3 ECB. Print this buy one get one free coupon and - if you got 3 - $.99 cards you would make a $1.02 profit. If you print two coupons, go ahead and buy 4 cards and get 2 for free...

And don't forget about the monthly deals!

I desparately needed wipes yesterday and bought the CVS package with 240 wipes on sale for $4.99. At checkout I was pleasantly surprised with a $1 ECB. I thought that was a pretty good deal!

If you found all the items **ed above your transaction would look like this:
2 Wheat Thins $2
Fusion Gamer $7.99
4 American Greetings Cards $3.96

Total: $13.95

Coupons:
$2 off Wheat Thins
$4 off Fusion
$1.98 off AG Card (2 BOGOs)

Out of Pocket: $5.97
ECBs received: $7 ($4 Fusion & $3 AG)
Profit: $1.03
_______________________________________________

YTD Out of Pocket: $29.21
YTD Saved: $297.03
YTD Actual Spent: $4.92

Free Pancakes - National Pancake Day Celebration

On Tuesday, February 24th, 7am - 10pm IHOP is giving away free short stack of pancakes! They ask that you would consider making a donation to support local children's hospitals through Children's Miracle Network. (FYI Louisvillians, IHOP is in Clarksville near all the new shopping centers)

More Restaurant Deals!

If you haven't been to Macca's in Westport Village I would highly suggest it. You can get $25 gift certificates on Restaurant.com for as little as $3 when there's a good sale going on (or for $10 w/o a sale). Also everyday at Macca's is a new "hot special". Like 1/2 price burgers and steaks on Tuesday! Additionally, Wednesday February 11th is their one year anniversary and they are offering a special Dollar Day Menu. On February 11th, all Burger Sliders, Fish Sliders, Crab Cake Sliders, Shrimp Bites, Chips and Salsa will be only $1 all day long. Plus $1 Domestic Draft Beer! Isn't that awesome!

At Fazoli's, you can get a coupon for free spaghetti each week. I "joined the revolution" yesterday and got a $2 off $5 purchase in my e-mail today. I would say those two coupons would make for an incredibly cheap dinner.

Wags though 2/7

The monthly deals are awesome for February. But this week:
**Theraflu is 2 for $10 this week. Use 2 - $2 off Theraflu and submit for a $6 rebate and with the 10% GC bonus you have a profit $.60 profit.
**L'Oreal Natural Match is on clearance (probably until it's gone) for $4.19. Buy 2 and use the $5 off 2 in the EasySaver Catalog, and print 2 - $2 off coupons for .62 profit (this would be the amount OFF your out of pocket)
___________________________________

YTD Out of Pocket: $41.54
YTD Saved: $89.13
YTD Profit: $1.50

Wags February Monthly Rebates

A new month brings new Free After Rebate Items!
**Zucol Cold Care Lozenges, 18pack $7.99, $2 coupon in paper + 10% GC bonus = $2.79 profit
**Revlon Age Defying Spa Concealer or Foundation, up to $10, with 10% GC bonus, up to $1 profit
**Garnier Fructis Wonder Waves $4.29, $1 coupon in paper + 10% GC bonus = $1.42 profit
**Revlon Cream Lip Gloss, up to $10, with 10% GC bonus, up to $1 profit
**Wags Multi-Purpose No Rub Solution 4oz $1.99, 10% GC bonus = $.19 profit
**ThermaCare Trial Size Heat Wrap $2.49, 10% GC bonus = $.24 profit

Free after EasySaver coupon:
**Pert Plus for Men $3.49, use $1.50 ESC, $1 newspaper coupon and submit a Try Me Free Rebate for $2.50 profit

CVS through 2/7

There are a lot of great monthly deals, but here are a few weekly deals too!
**Excedrin 10ct (little trial bottle) $2.49, $2.49 ECB
**Renuzit TriScents $5.49, $2 ECB and there might be a $5 peelie on it = $1.51 profit
**L'Oreal Revitalift Cleanser 5oz, or Towelettes 30ct $5.99, buy 2 get $10 ECB, use 2 -$2 off any L'Oreal Skin Care or $3/2 L'Oreal for $2.02 or $1.02 profit
_______________________________________________
YTD Out of Pocket: $29.16
YTD Saved: $293.03
YTD Actual Spent : $6.87

CVS February Monthly Deals

Lots of frees this month:
**CVS children's or adult low dose aspirin 36ct $1.99, $1.99 ECB
**Earinse $7.99, $7.99 ECB
**Extreme Energy Shot $4.99, $4.99 ECB
**Natural Dentist Healthy Gums or Flouride Rinse $9.99, $4 ECB each - buy two and use 2 - $2 off Natural Dentist and $10 off 2 mail in rebate = $2.02 profit
**Stayfree Pads 147-24 ct $3.99, $2 ECB each - buy two and use BOGO coupon from paper = $.01 profit
**BodiHeat Pain Relieving Heat Pad 3ct $3.99, $3 ECB, should be a $1 peelie on the package

Free Breakfast FEB 3 ! ! !

In case you missed the Super Bowl Commercial, Denny's Grand Slam Breakfast is free tomorrow from 6am - 2pm.

In addition, the first 1000 people in each store, that order the free Grand Slam will get a coupon book that includes:
4 BOGO's, 2- 25% off coupons, 1 coupon good for free dessert , and 1 coupon good for a free order of pancake puppies.