Coupon shopping trip update...

Well, I'm assuming none of you heard me scream, since I didn't have to! If you did hear someone, please know that it wasn't me,and perhaps you should have checked into it. :o)

Okay, so I went to CVS tonight. I spent about $70, and got close to $20.00 back in Extra Care Bucks. So, I'll be able to spend them later on anything else I want from CVS. If I use them to purchase more items that earn ECB's, then I just basically get the items free, and more ECB's to spend on my next trip. Do you see how this works?? It is a bit of an "investment" if you will, on the front end or the first trip, but by using coupons, and only purchasing items you normally buy, or would like to purchase anyway, not too bad.

The only thing that threw me off today was that I ran out of milk and Pull-ups for Sarah, needed them both, and refused to go to another store. Without that purchase I would have spent $12-$15 or so less. Their Pull-Ups are ridonkulous (as Anna would say, and I'm sure she will correct my spelling)!!!

So, without those items, I would have spent more like $55-$60. I used approximately $8.00 in coupons towards the items I purchased, so that means the actual cost of the items, had I not had the coupons would have been around $60-$62.00. Are you still with me?

My actual amount spent (on the sale items I went to buy) was let's say $60, less the $8 in coupons. I then got the ECB's which were about $18.00. So, that brings me to an approximate out of pocket of around $34.00 (when you count that I earned the $18.00 in ECB's to spend again later. They can be spent on any future purchases within the next 4 weeks.) I'm afraid that must really sound confusing. I'm not sure I'm explaining all this very well.

So, here's what I got for that amount (and I'm not including my gallon of milk and the Pull-ups).

• 4 packs of paper towels (to stockpile for later use) there are 6 rolls per pack so 24 rolls total!!!
• 2 things of a higher priced lady's deodorant (again stocking up at the low cost)
• 1 bag of Lay's potato chips
• 1 bag of Tostito's restaurant style chips (I keep things like this on hand for drop in guests or for when we are going to someone's house and I need to take a snack.)
• 1 bag of Tostito's dip style chips (Guess who's having Mexican this week. We actually love these with Taco Soup!! I'll post the recipe for those of you who have no idea what that is.)
• (3) 12 packs of Mountain Dew (Todd's drink of choice when he isn't drinking his home ground and perked Starbuck's coffee). They were on special 3/$10.
• 2-pack small boxes of Cheez-It's (a family favorite snack - except for me, I don't like them).
• 2-pack boxes of Ritz crackers (which Sarah loves and I will use as topping on the occasional casserole).

I also looked for a 2-pack special they had of Honey Nut Cherrios (which we all like), but that was sold out. It was the only thing on my list that was sold out! Everything else they had a fairly good stock of. I was pleasantly surprised!

So, not bad considering they are all things we use regularly and use lots of. I think I did okay.

Now, as for most everything else, here's what I'm going to do:

1. I plan to take advantage of meat specials at Publix, and to ask their butcher when they mark down their meats. If I purchase organic meat, which is what we prefer, it is rather expensive. So, if I can get it on the days they mark it down, then bring it home and freeze or cook and freeze, I should be able to save a good bit on my meat again. I just got lazy about doing this. If the markdown time is some crazy time that I can't possibly take advantage of, then just the really good sales will have to do and I'll stock up and freeze then.
2. Every other sale item from Winn Dixie, Piggly Wiggly, and other sources like that, I will take the sale paper to Wal-Mart and have them price match. I'll also use my coupons there. If CVS doesn't have any ECB deals that I'm interested in for the week, but carries some items on sale, I'll have them price matched as well. Remember if you do this that you must take the actual sale paper with you. You can't just go in and say, "Hey Lady, I saw these things in a sale paper for Joe's One Stop Shopping for 25 cents a pound." That won't get it! (I hope that made some of you laugh...)

For those of you who live in our area, I understand they've broken ground on the site for the new Publix!!! I can't wait to have one on this side of the mountain! I've got my Wal-mart, my bank, now a Publix! I may never go over that mountain again!

Logging off now and going to catch some sleep before my wild one gets up. She jumped from the coffee table in the front living room today, landed face first on the tile of the fireplace, and bloodied her nose. It's always something! I'd told her 4 times already just this morning that, "We do not jump from furniture", and I'd made her put the cushions back on the couch - she was jumping onto them. I suppose perhaps I should have let her leave them on the floor???? Good grief, and goodnight!

Abiding always in His grace, Lori